Underneath the Leaves
by Cha's Aegis
Summary: Naruto learns things are easily hidden deep underneath the dead, fallen leaves. Before she can achieve her dreams, she must uncover the truth, revealing things aren't what everyone believed they were nor are what they appear to be. Fem Naruto. AR
1. The Return: Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing and posting fanfiction here, would I?

I was inspired by GrownRose's 'Demon Bonds.' As I was reading, a little plot bunny was born and the little deviant refused to leave me alone. It has grown into the bunny that swallowed Tokyo. I dedicate this to GrownRose, RayneXHatake, and MichievousPuck. Special thanks to RayneXHatake and MichievousPuck for their input, comments, encouragement and persistent nagging.

* * *

The rhythmic clicking of heels echoes down the empty corridor, the steady pace preceding a solitary figure before rounding a corner into view. Unhurriedly it follows the ascending, sloping floor winding through the building to the upper levels. It is a design far more elegant that takes up far less space than the standard utilitarian staircases hidden behind non-descript doors in other parts of the building. It never fails to impress first time visitors with its simplistic composition and thoughtfulness, subtly encouraging conversation during leisurely strolls past numerous picture windows and artwork.

The flowing cadence ceases when a young, brunette woman halts before a nondescript door on the uppermost floor. Balancing a tea tray and paperwork with practiced ease she opens the door and enters. She crosses over to an expansive desk situated before a series of large windows offering a breathtaking, panoramic view of the village behind the lone occupant of the room. The blonde woman finally looks up from the document she was intently reading when the brunette set a steaming cup of aromatically soothing tea down on the surface in front of her.

After setting the papers she brought on a corner of the desk, the brunette patiently waits as the blonde picks up her cup and leans back in her chair.

"Thank you, Shizune."

Shizune nods before gesturing at the documents. "Those are the official minutes of the last jounin meeting ready for your final inspection and signature, Tsunade-sama."

Contemplating the papers for a moment, Tsunade sets down her teacup and reaches over to pull them toward her. Grabbing a pen, she promptly signs off on the last page, much to Shizune's outrage.

"Tsunade-sama! You didn't even read them before signing!"

Picking up her cup to take another sip Tsunade quirks a brow at her apprentice. "You were there at the meeting, right?" Shizune nods. "You wrote these up, right?" Again she nods. "Then I don't need to read them. I trust you," the blonde shrugs nonchalantly as she sips her tea.

"That's not the point! You're supposed to read them, _**then**_ sign off on them!" Shizune rages.

Tsunade rolls her eyes. "C'mon, Shizune. You never make mistakes on the minutes. Besides, they're boring as hell. I remember the meeting quite well, so I know what I'm talking about."

"But Tsunade-sama…" Shizune is cut off by the sudden appearance of a small yellow toad onto the desk in a poof of smoke.

With a slight nod the toad presents a scroll to Tsunade.

"Greetings. I have an urgent message from Jiraiya for you, Tsunade-hime." Once finished, the toad pops out, not bothering to wait for a response.

Holding the scroll, Tsunade blinks in surprise at the spot the toad just vacated. It was very unusual for one of Jiraiya's toads not to wait for a response. Sharing a look with Shizune, she immediately breaks the seal on the scroll. Her scowl became more pronounced as her golden eyes scan along the parchment.

Suddenly her steely gaze snaps up to Shizune. "Activate condition Code Orange, Level Three, and assemble all available ANBU squads in my office on the double!"

"Hai!" Shizune snaps out smartly before quickly leaving the office.

When Tsunade took office, she and Shizune overhauled the emergency response system for the village. They broke the system down into sections coded by color and divided them further into additional levels. The colors represent the threat level. Green, the lowest level, is used to spontaneously test emergency response and evacuation time. It only has one level. The next code, Yellow, is an alert to a possible, unconfirmed threat. It too only has one level as it merely alerts everyone to stay sharp.

Code Orange is next. This meant that there is a confirmed threat either already in the village or approaching. Evacuation is not required, as the threat is in a contained area or no civilians are at risk. Level Three meant civilians and those who are chunin and below are not made aware of the threat, only jounin and higher. Level Two meant all ranks are on high alert, and at Level One the entire village is made aware of the threat in preparation for possible evacuation procedures.

Code Red is the highest alert, signifying that the village is under attack, there is an impending attack, or there is an immediate threat to civilian life. Evacuation is guaranteed. Level Two notifies all shinobi to prepare to defend from their assigned position. Level One meant all capable civilians act as a last line of defense with whatever is at hand.

Tsunade reread the scroll before rolling it up and turning to look out the window as she waits for her ANBU to assemble. She didn't remain in quiet contemplation for long before the first ANBU arrives. Within twenty minutes all available squads not on priority guard detail assemble in her office. Shizune also returned by this point. Rising from her seat Tsunade walks around and stops in front of her desk to address them.

"Jiraiya sent an urgent message that Uchiha Sasuke is currently inside Konoha." She gives everyone a moment for the news to sink in, sensing the shock and surprise in her people. "From what he has learned the Akatsuki recently regrouped and already collected almost all the Jinchuriki. Except one." Tsunade knew she didn't have to say who remained and felt the tension in the room rise. "Jiraiya reports Uchiha has been assigned to capture the last Jinchuriki. Uchiha was trained by Orochimaru and has been affiliated with the Akatsuki for the past three years. Consider him extremely dangerous and approach with caution. I do _**NOT**_ want him leaving Konoha. A live capture is not a priority. Squad captains, get with your platoon leaders for sector assignments. Ermine-taichou, remain for a minute. Everyone else, dismissed."

The ANBU disappear instantly, leaving only Shizune, Tsunade and a kunoichi in a painted, porcelain ermine mask. Unlike most ANBU whose hair is still visible around the mask, Ermine uses a black hairnet to obscure her distinctive dark red coloring. The blonde eyes the ANBU for a moment before speaking.

"I briefly considered ordering you to remain as my personal guard before remembering I'd be wasting my breath," Tsunade smirks, knowing the kunoichi was grinning behind her mask. Her eyes and voice grows stern as she continues. "You will lead your squad in the search for Uchiha, but you are _**NOT**_ to face off against him alone."

When Ermine shifts her stance Tsunade raises a hand to silence any protest. "I know you too well, gaki. You're twenty now and one of my best ANBU, but you're not invincible. As soon as you start fighting him, he'll figure out who you really are. You are to avoid it at all costs, if not, then only with your team. Is that understood?"

Ermine hesitates before grudgingly agreeing. "Hai."

"Good. Now get with your platoon leader, Hound, and get out there with your team."

Ermine nods before disappearing. Releasing a heavy sigh, Tsunade walks over to one of the windows to look out at the bright sunny afternoon. Spring had arrived early this year, making Konoha greener than usual for March. Shizune moves to stand next to her.

"Do you think they'll manage to apprehend him this time?" she asks her leader.

Reaching up to rub her eyes, Tsunade replies, "Kami, I hope so. Alive too," she adds, dropping her hand to look out the window. "The information he could provide would be invaluable in destroying the Akatsuki. More importantly, I don't want to give him a chance to regroup for another attempt on Naruto."

"The replacement the Akatsuki would send in his place later might be worse," Shizune muses, staring out the window.

"True, which is why I'm hoping for a live capture."

"Then why not make a live capture a priority?" She turns to look at the profile of her mentor.

"Because I would rather see Uchiha dead than escaped. He's slipped through our grasp too many times and chances are awfully good he could do it again."

Turning her gaze back out the window, Shizune remains quiet for a moment before speaking again. "If a live capture is successful, would you allow him to rejoin the village if he's compliant? Many still want to see the Uchiha clan resurrected."

Tsunade's head snaps around to her apprentice, causing her to recoil slightly. "Hell no! Not if I can help it. Not after all the shit that little prick has pulled. His clan name does not exempt him from the laws of Konoha. Anyone else would be punished severely without question. He is not the exception."

Tsunade calmly returns her attention to the view once again.

"But the council…" Shizune begins hesitantly.

"Are not in charge," Tsunade finishes with a growl, glaring at Shizune out of the corner of her eye.

"Hai," she replies quietly.

* * *

"Do you really think the Akatsuki would send Sasuke back to Konoha? I mean, they have to know he's wanted here."

Within thirty minutes of Tsunade receiving Jiraiya's scroll, the ANBU quickly mobilize and are currently conducting an intensive search of the village and the surrounding areas. Ermine and the rest of Squad 17 patrol their sector, carefully scouring part of the forest and the training grounds for any signs of Sasuke.

Glancing over at Hare, her subordinate, Ermine shrugs before leaping off another branch. "Probably. He may be wanted, but he knows the village better than any of the surviving members we know about in the Akatsuki. Otherwise they would've sent Itachi if he were alive."

Hare shakes her head. Her pale, long blonde hair is intricately braided to keep it out of her way, but still visible around her mask. Ermine had tried convincing her to cut it to a more realistic length, but Hare stubbornly refused despite repeated threats of using a fire jutsu or kunai to help trim it. She eventually came up with an intricate variation of a French braid that also served to hide its true length.

"Still seems pretty stupid when we're basically after his head."

Ermine snorts dismissively. "Teme's actions often belie a lot of villagers' proclamations he was the most brilliant thing since the invention of chopsticks."

Hare and Squirrel laugh as they continue scanning the forest.

After a few more minutes of silence Hare asks, "How do you think Sakura's gonna react?"

Ermine glances over her shoulder. Hare can tell without seeing her face she was scowling at her. "How the hell should I know? You were best friends with her. You should know."

"You were her teammate," Hare shoots back.

"Haven't been for years, Hare. You knew her longer."

"Ditto."

Ermine sighs before looking over at Squirrel, who flanks her right. "How do you think Sakura will react, Squirrel?"

The question startles Squirrel enough into nearly missing a branch. Reworking his footing he glances over at his teammates. He was intensely scanning the area as they passed for any signs of Sasuke. Usually he tuned his teammates out whenever they got into one of their little pecking squabbles. He'd mentally work through kata routines until they finally exhausted whatever argument they were having. He hated whenever they dragged him into it because he was always on the losing end.

He shakes his head in disbelief. His black hair, with the fringes of his bowl cut framing his mask, flops around the porcelain with the movement. "I invoke the Self-Incrimination Addendum."

Both kunoichi glares at him. "What the fuck, Squirrel? You're not in court or before the council. You can't invoke the Self-Incrimination Addendum because you're not giving official testimony for anything!" Ermine snaps.

"Ah, but my dear taichou, the addendum can be invoked in any situation where one's actions or words may result in possible harm against that individual. It's especially significant when dealing with sadistic taichous and vindictive teammates," Squirrel replies knowingly.

"That's total bullshit, Squirrel," Hare scoffs.

"Not at all. Ask Ibiki-san. He is the one who explained what the Self-Incrimination Addendum applies to after the last argument you two made me the victim of."

"We did not…" Hare begins before Ermine abruptly stops.

Hare and Squirrel silently land next to her on the branch she is perched on. Standing with her arms akimbo, Ermine scrutinizes the area around them. Her teammates notice how tense she is and wait for her to speak.

"He's not here," Ermine finally states.

"There was always that chance…" Squirrel begins before being cut off as Ermine whirls on him.

"C'mon. I've got a really strong feeling where he is right now."

Before either can ask, Ermine shoots off in another direction. Within minutes they get their answer when they arrive at the Uchiha district.

"Squad 11 has probably already searched this sector," Squirrel points out.

"Yeah, but how long ago was that?" Ermine asks, enhancing her senses with chakra. "Don't argue. I've got a really strong feeling Sasuke's around here somewhere."

"Isn't that like trying to find the proverbial needle in the haystack?" Hare asks, eyeing the many abandoned buildings.

Ignoring the question, Ermine moves toward a bakery called the Uchiha Senbei, which is located near the entrance of the district. The Kyuubi had taught her how to heighten her senses to animalistic levels and is picking up faint traces of Sasuke's distinctive chakra.

"I've got to hand it to him, he covered his tracks very well," Ermine mutters just loud enough for her teammates to hear. They knew how keen her senses are. "So well it'd be invisible to a typical shinobi. I'm barely picking up his trail. Stay sharp."

Her teammates nod as they enter the bakery in silence, alert for any traps. After Sasuke left, Ermine did extensive research on the Uchiha clan, especially those members close to him. She was looking for anything that could give her an edge against him. Thus, she knew the bakery had been owned and operated by Sasuke's aunt Uruchi and uncle Teyaki. Her team carefully examines the entire building, but Sasuke's trail seems to disappear in a tiny office located off the bakery kitchen on the ground floor.

"Looks like Sasuke may have been in this bakery, but it appears he came in and left the same way. It's a dead end," Hare comments from the kitchen area as she studies the walls.

"No. We're missing something." Ermine crosses her arms before coming to a decision. "Hare, go back to Tsunade-sama and ask her to converge all ANBU here. Sasuke's here somewhere and we've got to flush him out."

Hare hesitates, looking as though she's going to protest, before nodding and taking off.

"Keep looking," Ermine orders Squirrel as she pokes around the desk.

Nodding, Squirrel starts examining the area around the tall bookcase lining the wall across from the desk. He notices a very slight disturbance in the dust on the floor. Moving up from the floor along the bookcase, he carefully scrutinizes the books and scrolls stuffed haphazardly onto each shelf. After determining there are no traps, he starts tilting books toward him to see behind them. When he picks up a scroll full of recipes, it triggers the bookcase to slide into the wall revealing a secret passageway. The movement of the secret door is so smooth it barely disturbs the dust.

Ermine comes to stand behind Squirrel, studying the dark passageway. Patting his shoulder, she says, "Great job," before ordering, "Stand guard."

She steps toward the passage when Squirrel stops her.

"Not alone. You said Tsunade-sama ordered to engage only with your team."

Ermine's head cocks a little and Squirrel senses she's smiling at him. "His trail is hot now. By the time reinforcements arrive he'll be long gone. You need to stay here and let the others know about this passageway." Before Squirrel can protest, Ermine grabs him by the shoulders to peer intensely into his black eyes. "I don't want any more of my friends injured because of him. I'm the only one who can take what he dishes out."

"It could be a trap and other Akatsuki members might be at the other end waiting," Squirrel reasons, placing his hands on her shoulders and meeting her deep blue gaze.

"Possibly. I'm not picking up any other signatures passing through here. He definitely came alone. Besides, his ego can't take it if he has help taking me down because then he'll never truly know how strong he is if he doesn't defeat me by himself."

Reluctantly Squirrel releases Ermine and watches as she disappears into the dusty passage.

* * *

"What the _**fuck**_ did you say?" Tsunade growls threateningly at Hare as the ANBU recoils slightly.

"Um, Ermine-taichou requests you send the call out for all ANBU to rendezvous with her in the Uchiha district. She's certain Uchiha Sasuke is in the immediate vicinity," Hare repeats nervously. Although she had personally trained under Tsunade, the older blonde still scares the living shit out of her.

Tsunade narrows her eyes before turning to Shizune. "Mobilize all ANBU to converge on the Uchiha district immediately."

"Hai!" Shizune immediately leaves to carry out the order.

Tsunade turns her attention back to Hare. "Squirrel remained with Ermine, correct?"

"Hai. He was helping her continue investigating the bakery for any signs of Sasuke," she replies with a nod.

Blowing out a harsh breath of frustration, Tsunade rubs a hand across her eyes before speaking. "Alright. Get your ass back over there and try to keep your idiot taichou from going after Sasuke. Tie her up and knock her out if you have to!"

"Hai!" Hare disappears, relieved to be out of the line of fire. She deliberately neglected to point out it was probably too late and Ermine is already chasing Sasuke's ass alone. She didn't doubt that for a minute.

A couple of minutes after Hare left, Shizune reenters the office. "ANBU squads have been notified, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade nods just as a hard tap sounds on the windowpane behind her. Both are stunned to see Jiraiya. He waits until Shizune walks over and lets him in.

"I take it you got my message if all the ANBU scurrying about is any indication, hime," Jiraiya quips with a wry grin.

"I did, but what are you doing here?" Recovering from her shock, Tsunade rises to her feet.

Jiraiya blinks at her incredulously. "What do you mean 'what are you doing here'? Didn't the toad tell you I'd be doing a reverse summons on myself to get back here as quick as possible to help protect the gaki?"

Shaking her head, Tsunade replies, "No. It just handed me a scroll and disappeared without so much as a goodbye."

Shizune nods behind her in agreement.

Slapping both hands to his face, Jiraiya groans in frustration before dropping them to look at his former teammate. "I hate it when it's mating season for the toads. They start doing things half-assed regardless of how important it is. Anyway, is the gaki okay? Did ANBU nail Sasuke yet?"

Ignoring his questions, Tsunade grabs his sleeve and drags him back over to the window.

"What…" Jiraiya begins in confusion.

"Shut up and come with me. I'll explain on the way."

"Tsunade-sama? Where are you going?" Shizune asks in confusion.

"We're going to the Uchiha district," she replies, climbing through the window.

"_**WHAT**_**?**"

"Shizune, Uchiha is too dangerous to leave for just the ANBU to handle. We're going to aid in the apprehension. Tell Ibiki to prepare for a possible new client that needs extra special care when handling."

Tsunade leaps away with Jiraiya hot on her heels.

* * *

Ermine proceeds cautiously through the narrow passage in case Sasuke set any traps. It's several minutes before she notices the increase of light that signals she's reaching the end. She's shocked when she emerges from a carved opening in a hillside hidden by shrubs. Looking around, her eyes widen behind her mask when she realizes she's about fifteen kilometers northeast of the village walls.

There are no physical signs of Sasuke, but her heightened senses show his trail bright as day. Ermine determines it really hasn't been that long since he passed through there. Possibly it has been within the last hour.

Walking over to a nearby tree, she places a palm against the trunk before channeling chakra into it. It's a marker she and her teammates developed to track each other whenever they are separated. It causes no damage to the tree and, to any shinobi not used to being around trees, it can't be sensed either. It doesn't work very well on stone or other materials besides trees, so Squad 17 doesn't rely on the markers too heavily. However, the three of them know each other's signatures so well that when they actively look for these markers they can sense them.

Once finished she cautiously follows Sasuke's trail, leaving additional markers on trees every so often as she closes in on her prey.

* * *

Sasuke walks slowly across an expansive clearing, as if on a leisurely stroll. He knew when he infiltrated Konoha three days ago he wouldn't be capturing the Kyuubi vessel. He wasn't like the other egomaniacs in the Akatsuki; overly confident he'd snag his quarry in one fell swoop. Madara assigned him because of his familiarity with Konoha. However, he has been gone for seven years and knew there were probably enough changes to confuse him. He always intended for his _homecoming_ to be a simple fact-finding visit because only a fool rushes in blind.

Unlike the other morons, he knows the odds of successfully capturing Konoha's Jinchuriki increase dramatically in the village. Her guard would be lower while at home and chances are better at finding her alone training. He doubts the dobe's habits changed at all over the years. It's why he had chosen to do this alone. He certainly didn't need his team dragging him down and clumsily alerting the village of his presence.

When he noticed the sudden increase in ANBU patrols as he lurked around the village earlier, he knew they were somehow alert to his presence. He didn't bother questioning how when he knew he wasn't the cause. He only knew it was time to leave. The idiots really should've razed the Uchiha district. Leaving it standing was only asking for trouble since they have no idea there are several hidden escape routes out of the village.

Stopping dead in his tracks, Sasuke closes his eyes and reaches out with his senses. A smirk crosses his lips as he notes the powerful chakra source closing in fast. Opening his eyes, he turns to face his pursuer. He feels he should remember his manners and greet whomever is kind enough to see him off. He's touched they'd think so highly of him to send one of their strongest shinobi and hopes they at least make it worth his while for wasting his time.

* * *

Ermine halts within the tree line, just out of Sasuke's sight. The fact he is looking right in her direction proves his senses are sharp and he has become more powerful. Clearing her mind as she slowly walks forward and emerges into the field, Ermine struggles to control her emotions as she sees her ex-teammate after so long. Their fight at the Valley of the End, and every encounter since then, flashes through her mind. It has been a couple years since they last saw each other, but she is determined to end it here once and for all.

Steeling her resolve, Ermine stops several yards away from him. The scene is eerily reminiscent of when they squared off on the waters of the Valley of the End. Both silently size each other up for several minutes.

"Uchiha Sasuke, I'm placing you under arrest in the name of Konoha!" Ermine declares loudly. Even if she didn't actually beat his ass, she needs to stall him long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Sasuke smirks at the bitch's challenge. He has no idea who she is. Her chakra is familiar, but the distortion caused by that ridiculous mask makes it hard to remember. Not that he cares enough to find out. It didn't matter when she'd be dead soon anyway.

Without deigning to answer he attacks with the Phoenix Immortal Fire Jutsu. Small fireballs fly wildly from his mouth, covering for the shuriken he launches. He wants to see what she's capable of.

Ermine dodges the barrage instead of countering or blocking his jutsu, intent on buying as much time as possible.

* * *

Tsunade arrives with Jiraiya at the gates of the Uchiha district as the rest of her ANBU arrive. Squirrel approaches and bows before his Hokage. The blonde nods for him to report.

"We found a hidden passage inside the Uchiha Senbei. It seems it is an escape route out of Konoha. Ermine-taichou ordered me to wait and lead reinforcements to the passage," Squirrel reports efficiently.

Hare stands slightly behind him, hoping the Hokage won't direct her ire at her since she clearly hasn't incapacitated Ermine to prevent the taichou from chasing Sasuke.

"Shit!" Tsunade hisses vehemently, glaring hard at Squirrel. "Is it verified Uchiha exited through that passage instead of entering?"

Squirrel nods. "Ermine-taichou stated the trail was very fresh, indicating he left, not entered."

"Are the premises clear of traps?"

Squirrel and Hare nod.

"Show me," Tsunade orders.

Following the pair with Jiraiya and the remaining ANBU trailing behind, she mutters various threats and curses, promising Ermine great misery. All of the ANBU manage to fit in the kitchen as Tsunade and Jiraiya enter the office to examine the secret passage.

"The entrance was nearly undetectable," Squirrel explains. "If it were not for the build up of dust on the floor there would have been no indicator there was even a door here. It was very well made."

Tsunade considers it for a moment while Jiraiya examines the open doorway closely. Stepping back into the kitchen she addresses her ANBU. "Squads 2 and 11, secure the Uchiha district. I don't want anyone else slipping past us. If there is one secret passage there may be more." The two squads promptly disappear. She then turns to the others. "Follow me."

Finally, she gestures for Squirrel and Hare to lead the way while they fall in line behind them.

Several minutes later they emerge outside of Konoha. Tsunade glares murderously around the area, realizing how vulnerable they were without knowing it. Jiraiya's scowl shows he's thinking along the same lines, wondering how many more secret passages lead into Konoha.

"I found Ermine's marker," Hare calls a few yards away.

At Tsunade's nod she and Squirrel continue to lead them through the woods, guided by Ermine's chakra marks.

* * *

Ermine dodges another fire jutsu, using a kawarimi to switch with a nearby log. Fortunately, logs are now in great supply thanks to the various jutsu they were throwing at each other. Now the clearing is even bigger than before.

Blowing out a harsh breath, Ermine knows she can't continue playing tag. It hadn't taken Sasuke long to realize it was Naruto behind the mask, taking the battle to a whole new level. She really isn't sure what finally clued him in to her real identity. It could've been anything from her distinctive voice to her winning personality. She thinks he's denser than granite for not figuring it out sooner. Either way it sparks a new fire within the Uchiha scion and he steps up his game.

Sasuke isn't the only one with a new flame burning bright within. Ermine starts thinking there might still be a chance to redeem him. She thought she had given up on him during the last couple of years, but as they exchange blows and jutsu she's starting to wonder. Her instincts scream the old Sasuke is still inside him somewhere and it's up to her to find him. She always listens to her instincts, even if it means fighting by the seat of her pants and trying to pull some crazy, impossible scheme off. However, she knows she has to get his attention first and the best way to do that is by kicking his ass.

Dodging another fire attack that singes her slightly, Ermine feels it's time to poke the hornet's nest a little.

"Hey, teme! Careful there! You might actually land a hit if you keep randomly throwing around fire jutsu like that!"

Sasuke merely narrows his eyes in annoyance. She is still the same loud dobe. He has to admit that before he had realized who was hidden behind the mask, he already developed a grudging respect for her ability to defend against his attacks. He decides to answer her this time.

"Still bouncing around like a hyperactive dobe while stupidly running off at the mouth, I see," he replies, effortlessly somersaulting out of the way from a barrage of kunai and shuriken. "Thanks for coming to me. Makes my job of capturing your ass easier," he finishes, gracefully landing several yards away.

Ermine pauses to stand with one hand on her hip and the other lightly touching her chest plate as if flattered. "Why teme! I never took you for an ass man! Explains why Sakura was never able to snag your attention. Actually, I thought you were more interested in _roosters_ considering how obsessed you were with _snakes_."

Sasuke instantly caught her double entendre and did not appreciate her hinting he was gay. Growling slightly, he unleashes a barrage of Chidori Senbon.

Ermine disappears immediately out of range of the needle shaped electricity, searching for an opening. She has to hand it to him; he certainly got creative with his elemental affinity. Shaking her head, she considers her strategy. She needs to make him mad enough where he can't see straight, or at least distract him enough while she sets up her trap. Reappearing with a clone, Ermine gathers chakra in her hand while her clone quickly gathers water vapor in hers. Together they release their jutsu in combination at Sasuke, shouting Typhoon Water Vortex in unison. Before he can react, strong winds mixing with water vapor swirl around him, blinding his view.

Unperturbed, Sasuke merely smirks before releasing a huge fireball into the roaring winds.

Ermine's stunned the wind and water combo isn't extinguishing the flames. Instead, the fire is turning the water into scalding steam, making the growing vortex even more dangerous. She quickly realizes her error, that there isn't enough water to extinguish the fire and the wind is feeding it. Arching a brow, she figures she is just gonna have to fight fire with fire. Or close enough.

Flashing a few signs for Ash Pile Burning, Ermine quickly blows out a steady stream of ash into the winds. The maelstrom is widening fast and would soon engulf her position. Preparing to dive for cover, she snaps her teeth hard, igniting it.

* * *

Thanks to Ermine's chakra markers, Hare and Squirrel easily guide the others toward her current position. Halfway through the woods a huge explosion nearby rocks the area. The shockwaves shake the ground, knocking down some of the weaker trees and branches and causing everyone to mutter curses while diving for cover. When the _'all clear_' is called, everyone reassembles and rushes toward the clearing. Tsunade already plots Ermine's punishment to make up for the stress she is subjecting her to.

When they arrive on scene, Tsunade takes in everything at a glance. Ermine and Sasuke are fighting hard and fast, exchanging blows in the middle of a newly formed, shallow crater nearly the width of the clearing. Any grass and shrubs are completely burned away and many trees are completely uprooted and broken. The ones closest to the clearing are blackened and any intact branches charred down to the trunks.

Shaking her head, Tsunade turns to her shinobi. "Get in there and apprehend Uchiha!"

Hound steps forward. "Tsunade-sama, let them finish." At both Tsunade and Jiraiya's questioning gaze he continues. "Sasuke won't run. He has to prove himself against Ermine once and for all. His accomplishments mean nothing if he can't defeat her, regardless if her capture is his mission. They both need this fight. Besides," he shrugs, "he can't escape with the number of ANBU and two Sannin present."

Studying the ANBU with wild silver hair poking up from behind his mask, Tsunade considers his words before giving in.

"Alright. Let them finish this. Spread out around the battleground. I don't want Uchiha escaping this time."

"Hai," her ANBU cry before scattering.

* * *

"Hm, seems like we have an audience," Sasuke mutters as he uppercuts with his right toward her throat.

"There goes your chance of escape," Ermine quips, blocking the blow before ducking under his arm. Coming up behind him, she attempts to hit him on both sides of his neck with the sides of her closed fists at the same time.

Spinning around, he brings up his arms together in front of him before throwing them out wide to deflect the blows. He immediately follows with a forward kick. "I don't plan on leaving until we finish this, dobe. I can deal with them easily enough later."

"Really?" she asks, throwing her arm into a downward block before grabbing his leg. Twisting around, she throws him to the ground away from her. "I thought running was what you did best. You always run when you think you're too weak to win instead of seeing things through."

Having immediately regained his feet, Sasuke growls at the jab before charging again.

"Oh? Did I strike a nerve?" Ermine mocks as she blocks and counters every blow. "Guess I should be sorry, but I can't help if the truth hurts. Didn't think you'd still be so sensitive, especially when you ran away into the great, wide world for strength and power."

Gaining the upper hand, she grabs his arm and throws him out of the crater away from her, again on his back. As he clambers to his feet to face her, she continues.

"If that's still sticking in your craw something fierce, then maybe you didn't accomplish everything you wanted. Hmmm…" She pauses in contemplation before counting off on her gloved fingers. "Let's see, your goals were to kill Itachi and restart your clan. Well, you killed your last living relative, but haven't restarted your clan. Must mean your priorities changed. Oh, yeah!" Ermine slaps her masked forehead as if something just occurs to her. "You want to destroy your home village! Clearly you're not strong enough for that if you were running again until I caught up. Hell, had to come to you or you would've been long gone without paying your old friends a visit. Obviously you realized there was no way you were strong enough to take me on. First smart thing you've done in years, teme."

Sasuke seethes and glares before charging again with a primal yell. "Shut _**UP**_!"

Ermine continues dodging and blocking his strikes with deliberate ease to piss him off more. "Oh, c'mon! I'm only repeating what I know you've spent hours obsessing over. It's not my fault you went chasing pipe dreams and empty promises."

"Words are all you have when you don't have the skill to back them up, eh dobe?" Sasuke mocks as he unleashes a fierce barrage of punches. "Or did you forget you _lost_ at the Valley of the End?"

"I guess you could see it that way, teme," Ermine replies easily, answering with her own flurry of punches. "You forgot I held back and didn't go for the killing blow. That's gotta keep you up nights wondering if you really won fair and square or if you would've survived if I hadn't intended to just scratch you."

Sasuke over extends with a punch, giving her a chance to nail him in the back with a roundhouse kick that sends him sprawling. "Rumor has it you didn't really kill Itachi either. He died because he reached his limit. That's two battles casting doubt on your victories, teme."

Roaring in rage, Sasuke fires up a Chidori and charges. He smirks in triumph when he pierces her heart, then growls in annoyance when she poofs out of existence. A hand grabs his shoulder, spinning him into a chakra infused punch that snaps his head painfully back. Grabbing his hair, Ermine drops back, thrusting both feet hard into his stomach. As she rolls backward onto the ground, she channels chakra into her feet and kicks upward, sending him soaring to the other end of the clearing. Deftly, she rocks back then forward onto her feet and walks leisurely toward him as he groans and staggers back to his feet.

"You know," she begins conversationally, "the fact you're having doubts shows you might finally be wising up that you were wrong. Owning up to your mistakes is the first step toward fixing things and making them right."

"What the _**fuck**_ are you talking about?" Sasuke rages as he forms the Chidori Spear and thrusts the pole shaped electricity at Ermine.

Rolling out of range, Ermine swiftly regains her footing and counters with the Petal Dust Dance. Smirking behind her mask, she stands by and watches as he leaps, flips and rolls all over the clearing, attempting to keep ahead of the swirling cyclone of petals attacking him. She keeps the intensity of it fairly mild by her standards because she wants to force him to listen, not kill him. She probably should credit the late, not so great Fuka for showing her the technique in the first place, but felt it was a fair exchange since the tramp kept trying to suck out all her chakra in the first place.

Letting the cyclone break up, she strolls over to a panting Sasuke on the far side of the field. "What I'm trying to tell you, teme, is that it isn't too late to repent your sins and start over. You're just being a typical guy and not bothering to listen when a woman is talking to you."

Still breathing hard, Sasuke straightens up to glare at her. "You love to hear yourself talk, don't you? This is the same crap you spouted at the Valley of the End! Haven't you gained enough brains to hate me yet? Why are you still trying to bring me back? I don't intend to return to a village of betrayers responsible for destroying my clan!"

"Wow, that's the most I've heard you ever say, teme. I was starting to think you weren't capable of sentences beyond five words," Ermine quips before continuing. "And you're still buying that shit Madara's spewing?" she asks incredulously. "I told you the last time we ran into each other, Madara is manipulating you for his own goals."

"His goals run parallel to mine. I will destroy Konoha," he replies in a deceptively calm voice.

Ermine studies him for a moment before speaking. "Do you trust Madara?"

Taken aback momentarily, Sasuke arches a brow. "No."

"Then why listen to him?" She asks quietly. "You're much smarter than that. You never took anything at face value. Hell, you still don't or you wouldn't have survived a predator like Orochimaru. The Sasuke I knew and respected was cunning enough that if he didn't figure out the truth then he'd find it." Ermine notices the slight flicker of shock on his face before it disappears. "Honestly? I doubt that's changed or you would've considered your obligations complete once you killed Itachi."

Sasuke arches a brow before replying. "Have you been working in Torture and Interrogation? Because you still need a lot of work on your mind games."

"Looks like you finally found your funny bone, teme!" Ermine laughs before sobering again. "Nah, I'm just calling it as I see it. You chose to distance yourself from those who cared about you because you were afraid we would change your mind. It's easier to keep doing what you know is wrong if there's no one around to scold you for it," she shrugs. "Well, if you believe the village is guilty of destroying your clan, I'll make a deal with you. I swear to help you uncover the truth if you return home and give up being an avenger."

Sasuke stares at her for a few moments, his face inscrutable before suddenly blasting a fireball at her. Unable to dodge in time, Ermine throws up her arms to shield her head as the flames engulf her. Sasuke's smirk turns into a scowl when she poofs out of existence.

Reflexively he spins around, drawing his Kusanagi to block Ermine's katana strike. She barely dodges away when he channels lightning into his blade, cutting through the middle of hers. Tossing the hilt, she rolls away, arming herself with a pair of trench knives in one fluid motion. Standing a few yards away, his sword ready and still blazing chakra, Sasuke arches a brow at the familiar looking blades.

Cocking her head slightly, Ermine holds one higher in her ready stance while channeling her chakra through both blades. "They were Asuma-sensei's trench knives. They're on loan from Shikamaru," she replies, answering his unasked question.

"Fitting. Considering you'll be next to die while using them."

Sasuke charges again, striking down, but is surprised when she puts her raised forearms together with the point of the knives downward and blocks his sword.

"I'm obligated to avenge Itachi for his forced sacrifice for the village and sparing my life," he grinds out, taking advantage of their close proximity and immobility as he presses down on her blades. "Itachi wanted me to grow stronger to kill him, making him pay restitution for his sins against the clan on behalf of the village."

Ermine shifts so their blades are locked tighter together. "Then Itachi really killed the clan to protect and preserve the village. Think about it, teme. Why would he care if the Uchihas initiated a civil war? If he hadn't wished to get caught in the middle, he could've easily taken off with you and let things play out without feeling guilty enough to have you make him atone for his sins. You say he sacrificed everything for Konoha, then would Itachi really want you to destroy it? That's obviously what he didn't want. And if Itachi was a hero, then why let himself be painted the villain?" Ermine studies Sasuke's eyes, seeing the confusion and turmoil swirling through his mind. "There are too many questions and not enough answers. We need to find the truth."

Sasuke looks like he's caving before snarling and shoving her off of him with his foot.

Shaking her head, Ermine watches as he attacks again. It's time to end this. Using a Kawarimi to switch with another log to put some distance between them, she slices her thumb with one of the knives and slams her hands down on the ground as Sasuke charges. He barely maintains his footing as the ground suddenly becomes pink and sticky.

"This is the Toad Mouth Bind. We're trapped in the stomach of the great fire-breathing toad of Mount Myoboku. You were unconscious when Ero-sennin first used this around us, so you won't remember it. I've gotta point out there's no escape," Ermine explains cheerfully from her crouched position a couple of yards in front of Sasuke.

Glaring hard, Sasuke cuts his feet free, somersaulting forward to slice downward into a surprised Ermine. He swears up a storm when she poofs out again.

Ermine and several of her clones patiently wait outside the stomach. She remembers Sasuke had gotten the full story of how Itachi broke out of the stomach after Baa-chan healed him. She knows he can do a lot of the same things Itachi could and figures he'll probably use the Amaterasu to break out. Her theory is proven correct when black flames blow open a hole in the sidewall.

Shadow clones instantly surround Sasuke the moment he steps clear of the stomach. "Some things never change, dobe. Figures you'd resort to old, tired tricks," he laughs mockingly, wiping the blood from his eyes.

"Even old dogs learn new tricks, teme. If ya want to learn my new trick the hard way, then go ahead and move. Otherwise freeze where you are and surrender," Ermine calls back pleasantly.

Sasuke smirks back, not taking the threat seriously. In a blur he shoots forward to engage the nearest clones. He figures Naruto has been battling him for over an hour now and is likely fatigued, which will also affect her clones. Unfortunately for him, the moment he makes contact with the clones, they explode. It's all he can do to maneuver to keep from getting killed. Through a pain filled daze he realizes moments later he's flat on his back several yards away.

A shadow falls across him and he blinks several times to focus on Ermine standing over him. "Iruka taught me his Capture Perimeter Barrier Jutsu. Nifty little trick. The target enters an area filled with explosive tags and when the signs are activated the target is contained. They try taking off and boom! Buh-bye and it was nice knowing ya!" she explains gleefully. "I just added my own twist, combining it with my clones. So, you might seriously consider surrendering, teme, or I _**WILL**_ shove a Rasengan up your ass and it won't be like you remembered."

Tsunade, Jiraiya and half of the ANBU close in to surround the pair. Ignoring them, Sasuke frowns in confusion as he stares through the eyeholes at those familiar blue eyes. "Why do you try so hard?" he rasps. "Why not kill me? Anyone else in your shoes would."

"Do you want to die, Sasuke?" Ermine asks instead without missing a beat.

He doesn't answer and looks away.

She sighs before continuing. "Dying is easy, but won't change a damn thing. However, alive you still have a chance."

Sasuke's black eyes snap back to her. "What do you mean I still have a chance?"

"You still have a chance to make a difference, to change things whether it's in your life or someone else's. Or even just to right a wrong. You can't do that dead. Besides," Ermine's gaze intensifies, "you of all people should remember what it's like for those left behind. Whether you admit it or not, there are some, besides me, that still give a shit about your ass. _**That's**_ why I'll keep trying so hard."

A tense silence falls over the clearing as the two Sannin and ANBU wait for his answer to Ermine's question. For a moment a brief flicker of defiance flares across Sasuke's face, but it disappears quickly as he closes his eyes, quietly saying, "I surrender."

"Squad 13, Hare and Squirrel. Take Uchiha Sasuke into custody. Security ward at the hospital and notify Ibiki," Tsunade promptly orders.

"Hai," the ANBU answer before moving forward to secure Sasuke with chakra restraints. One pulls out a black cloth and secures it around his eyes. Once ready they leave immediately for the hospital.

"Condition alert is dropped to Code Yellow. Squads 1 and 5 patrol the area and check for any traveling companions. The rest step up patrols in the village until we have confirmed the threat has passed. Ermine, Hound, remain here. Dismissed."

The rest of the ANBU disappear immediately, leaving only four people in the clearing.

Tsunade eyes Ermine and Hound for a moment before speaking. "Get in regular uniform and report to my office in the next thirty minutes." Her eyes narrow dangerously at the silver haired ANBU. "On the dot, _Hound_."

Hound sighs and nods answering, "Hai."

"Hai," Ermine acknowledges before both disappear.

Turning to look out at the catastrophic damage done to the clearing, Tsunade sighs wearily. "This area certainly isn't going to be the same. That crater is probably going to turn into a shallow lake when it rains again."

"Neither will the village," Jiraiya mutters dryly. Glancing over at Tsunade, he answers her questioning gaze. "If anything Sasuke said is true about Itachi, the battle has only just begun and may trigger a holocaust."

With another heavy sigh Tsunade nods, leaving with him to return back to her office.

* * *

Ermine-A short tailed weasel naturally found in artic and sub-artic regions.

Senbei-A type of rice cracker.

Self-Incrimination Addendum-equivalent to citing the fifth amendment.

Fifteen kilometers is about nine and a quarter miles.

**A/N:** This is an epic and won't end any time soon. It's complicated and will take me time to tell it. Don't worry, been working on it for over a year and got the plot all worked out. No danger of it stopping because of a writer's block.

There are a couple things in here I have to advise some reader discretion on. This is rated 'M' because at times it'll go beyond dropping the F-bomb. It's mostly because of mature themes and violence. Like I make references to past molestation and rape. I don't plan on going into great detail because I doubt I could successfully make them come off as the disgusting, horrible acts they are. Hence, only references. There will also be a couple of explicit sex scenes. This isn't a sex showcase, so there won't be that many. I've got a romance going on that leads to sex at times. I feel this enhances the story, but it's not the focus. I promise to warn at the start of the chapter if there's anything questionable in it or if you are liking the rest of the story, but don't like sex scenes. I'll write it where you can skip it without missing anything.

I'm also not strict to canon. I use a lot of canon, but I won't be following the storyline exactly. When I started this, Pein hadn't even looked in Konoha's direction. It's just too hard to stay strict with canon when the story is still in progress. Besides, for personal reasons, I haven't read the manga after a certain point. So I really don't know everything that's happening currently.

I will be hooking up Kakashi and Naruto. No surprises there. Buuuuuut, it doesn't happen until MUCH later. They are dedicated shinobi good at what they do, but they're horribly oblivious when it comes to their personal lives.

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to check out my story. I hope you enjoyed it and if you stick with me I hope you'll continue to enjoy it.


	2. The Return: Chapter 2

Ermine returns to the village in record time. Life and death situations tended to be a great motivator like that. She is in deep shit with Baa-chan and does not want to inflame the old bat's wrath further by pulling a Kakashi.

Within twenty minutes she returns to her apartment and sheds her ANBU uniform to become Uzumaki Naruto once again. Freeing her shoulder length hair from the hairnet, she pulls it back into a low ponytail before changing into her jounin uniform.

Naruto understands why Tsunade is upset with her, but following her gut instinct is just one of those constants about her. It's one of the few things that haven't changed over the years.

At twenty-years-old, life is considerably different now for the redhead than it was when she was a child. She isn't considered the failure and outcast anymore. Few villagers see her as the demon instead of the hero the Yondaime wanted her to be honored as. She figures if it took this long to win everyone else over, with more time she ought to get the stragglers to come around too. At least those few keep their opinions to themselves.

It took a couple years longer than the others, but her stubborn determination paid off when became a jounin two years ago. She never doubted she'd catch up with the rest of the rookies. They were all exceptional ninja in their own rights, excelling in their specialized fields. It was more a matter of when she'd become one too.

Naruto arrives at the Hokage Tower with five minutes to spare. She waits patiently in Tsunade's office until Kakashi arrives, surprising both women by arriving on the dot. He merely shrugs at their stunned expressions. This was a first since none of Tsunade's threats had ever worked on him before.

Getting down to business, Tsunade glares hard at Naruto snapping out, "Report!"

Naruto begins without hesitation. "Team 18 searched our assigned sector for any signs of Uchiha Sasuke with no success. We were about to start another sweep when I got the feeling we had to search the Uchiha district immediately."

Tsunade merely quirks an eyebrow, but says nothing. She remembers defying orders at times and going with her own instincts in the past.

"We arrived at the Uchiha district within minutes and began our search. Enhancing my senses, I picked up a faint trail. It wasn't old, just Sasuke had done a really good job covering it up. It led us into the Uchiha Senbei bakery. We conducted a thorough search for any traps or signs of him. Ino suggested he had been there, but exited the same way he entered. I felt we missed something. So I ordered her to get reinforcements while Lee and I continued searching. Lee discovered the hidden door and I ordered him to stay behind and guide our backup to the passage while I tracked Sasuke."

Tsunade briefly contemplates Naruto's words before speaking. "I understand why you continued tracking Sasuke. He would've escaped if you waited for backup, but your orders were not to engage him alone."

Naruto acknowledges the hidden question with a nod. "I was out of sight in the tree line at what should've been a safe distance away where he wouldn't detect me. The fact he was looking into the trees my way shows his senses are sharper and he's stronger. I also knew I had to stall him."

"Was he running when you caught up with him?" the blonde asks conversationally.

"Um, no," Naruto shifts uncomfortably. "He was walking."

"Did he attack when he sensed you?" Tsunade leans forward in her chair, resting her elbows on the desk and threading her fingers together under her chin. Naruto recognizes that it isn't a good sign.

"No. He, um, didn't attack until I entered the clearing and declared he was under arrest."

"So, let me get this straight," Tsunade begins thoughtfully. "Even though he was looking in your direction, he didn't see you to attack. He only sensed your presence, right?"

Naruto nods grimly, dreading what was coming.

"So, tracking him was out, but you could've attempted to restrain him like you did toward the end of your battle instead of fighting him, right?"

Swallowing thickly, Naruto nods before quickly adding, "I was attempting to stall him until reinforcements arrived."

Arching a delicate brow again Tsunade asks, "Is that honestly what you were doing?"

Sighing heavily Naruto shakes her head. She quickly cuts Tsunade off when she opens her mouth. "You ordered me not to fight Sasuke alone and I get why, but we couldn't let him escape again. We don't know how long he had been back before Ero-sennin sent you his message. Even if I followed orders, assuming Sasuke wasn't too far ahead, do you really think any other ANBU could've gone toe to toe with him? I know him, how he fights and how he thinks. No one else could've gone against him, not without injury."

The silence stretches out before Tsunade reluctantly nods her head. "You knew a live capture wasn't a priority. Why didn't you just kill Sasuke? It would've been easier. We came in after the explosion and you had plenty of opportunity. Why convince him to surrender?"

The redhead sighs heavily, well aware of Kakashi standing next to her, interested in the answer too. "There's a ton of questions lingering about the Uchiha massacre, and we need to find the truth because that shit is why all this trouble started. I also know there's still a chance to save him. Haven't thought that way for awhile," she shrugs, "but changed my mind fighting him. I wouldn't have bothered otherwise and killed him myself," she states quietly. "He's worth saving. Not 'cause he's the last Uchiha, but because he's a valuable Konoha shinobi. If our shinobi are thrown away so callously, then why are we all here? Why do we all fight and struggle to protect the village?"

Kakashi remains silent during the entire debriefing. Seeing the determination in her eyes, he finally speaks. "Regardless of the outcome, Tsunade-sama, if Naruto believes there's merit to uncovering the truth, then it's worth the effort. It's enough for me she thinks an investigation is warranted."

Considering it, Tsunade looks over to where Jiraiya stood off to the side by the windows, silently listening the entire exchange with his arms crossed. Taking his cue, he straightens out from where he slouched and steps closer to the desk.

"It's clear there are too many masterminds pulling the strings behind the scenes and causing trouble. This may be a way to bring an end to our problems and eliminate the ongoing threat from the Akatsuki. They lost Itachi and if we can turn Sasuke around, they may be losing an advantage," he finishes with a shrug.

After a few minutes Tsunade finally speaks up. "Agreed." She pauses to pin Kakashi and Naruto with a glare. "You two will be handling the investigation. I'm cutting back on your missions for the time being. I want you to try uncovering the truth as quickly as possible."

"Why us?" Naruto asked in confusion. "Not that I wasn't going to insist on being involved since I promised Sasuke, but why not Ibiki or someone else from T&I?"

"I want the investigation to remain as low-key as possible," Tsunade explains. "Obviously there's something sinister going on and the fewer people involved the lower the risk of information leaking out to our enemies. You both already have the clearance to access the high security documents involved. I trust you with this delicate situation and, more importantly, the Uchiha trusts you. If this results in one less enemy out for Konoha's blood, then so be it."

The others nod in agreement and she continues. "Sasuke is currently being treated for his injuries in the secured ward of the hospital. Afterward he will be handed over to Torture and Interrogation."

"Don't be too severe with the teme, Baa-chan," Naruto interrupts. "He never attacked any Konoha ninja he stumbled across, only members of the retrieval team. So, his only crimes are leaving without authorization and resisting arrest. He's never attacked the village, nor committed any treasonous acts against it. Maybe if we show some leniency he might roll over on the Akatsuki."

"After all the crap that little prick's pulled, you want me to cut him some slack?" Tsunade asks incredulous.

"Okay, he's been working hard to earn the title of having the biggest, longest and crookedest stick shoved up his ass, but you gotta admit he's probably got some good dirt on Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. And if he's willing to come back to our side, he'd be a great addition to our forces should it come down to taking on the Akatsuki later." At Tsunade's disbelieving expression, Naruto sighs, adding, "I'm not saying throw him a parade and present him with a fruit basket as a 'Welcome Home' gift. 'Sides, I'd like to see him bleed a little even if he rolls over. All I'm saying is don't be too harsh on him."

"Leave it to you to go to bat for someone who's consistently tried to beat you to death with one. Alright," she agrees with a sigh. "I'll consider it, depending on if he complies and what he's got to offer. I don't think he will. Anyway, I'm heading over to the hospital to check on him after we're done. If you two want you can be there."

Naruto looks over at Kakashi. There was no way she isn't going, but she wonders if he'd want to be there. Kakashi merely shrugs before nodding his head.

Turning back to Tsunade, she grins, "Count us in, Baa-chan!"

Tsunade shakes her head in amusement. "It was a good call, gaki, regarding Sasuke." Her gaze then hardens. "But you're still not off the hook for disobeying a direct order, justified as it were. Not only are you assigned border patrol for the next month, but you will also be my personal guard for every council meeting, committee or full, for the next two months."

She smirks at the look of dismay on Naruto's face.

"Think of it this way, gaki," she adds cheerfully, "it'll be more like keeping me company since it's time for the annual budget review."

Naruto twitches and resisted the urge to beg for mercy, knowing there is no way in hell it'd work with Tsunade. She absolutely hated when it was the end of the fiscal year and got guard duty. It was hard staying awake for the damn meetings while the council nitpicked over every little thing. Unfortunately, she didn't have any blackmail material to bargain with, so with a resigned sigh she caves. "Hai, Baa-chan."

"Good," Tsunade chirps cheerfully, rising to her feet as Jiraiya and Kakashi chuckle. "Let's head over."

Exiting the office Naruto and Kakashi trail behind. Jiraiya walks alongside Tsunade as she heads down the corridor. They don't get far before the sound of running feet echoes off the wood floor. To their surprise Sakura rounds the corner and rushes up breathless.

"Tsunade-shishou! Is it true Sasuke was captured?"

Tsunade remains silent, contemplating what to tell her apprentice, when Sakura notices Naruto. Taking her presence as confirmation, she stuns everyone by giving Naruto a bone-crushing hug.

"I'm sorry for doubting you sometimes, but I knew you'd do it! Only you could've brought back Sasuke-kun!" she gushes excitedly.

Kakashi notices Naruto's stiff posture as she hesitantly and awkwardly returns the hug. He understands why she's wary of their former teammate. Until now, her relationship with Sakura has been nonexistent. Gradually, with every failed attempt to bring Sasuke back, the medic grew more distant from the both of them until she finally requested off his team. He remembers Naruto was confused and upset, especially when Sakura refused to talk to her anymore. Even he's leery of Sakura's sudden warmth toward her now.

"What's going to happen to Sasuke next, Shishou?"

Tsunade narrows her eyes at her young apprentice. "I don't know how you found out about Sasuke so quickly when only ANBU knew, but now is not the time to renew old schoolgirl crushes. Aren't you supposed to be on duty at the hospital right now, Sakura?"

A hurt look fills her green eyes while she shakes her head. "No, Shishou. My shift just ended. I wanted to see what I could do to help. I accepted Sasuke-kun never loved me a long time ago, but I still care for him as a teammate and a friend. Team 7 split up when he left and moved on, but we'll always have that connection. That was one of the first things Kakashi-sensei taught us, to value our comrades and be there for each other through thick and thin. Sasuke lost a lot of support in the village because of his defection and consequent actions, so he'll need all the support and friendship he can get if he's to remain here with us." Sakura sighs wearily before continuing. "So even if I still felt for him that way, now is not the time to indulge in childish fantasies. He needs friends, not fangirls."

Naruto and Tsunade blink at her in shock. Tsunade is half tempted to order an exam to see if Sakura wasn't an enemy nin in disguise. Jiraiya merely scrutinizes the girl while Kakashi considers what she said before speaking.

"Sakura was a member of Team 7 and a former classmate of Sasuke's. That past connection could be very helpful in keeping him on track."

"I agree," Naruto nods determinedly, recovering from her shock. "Sakura should go with us to see Sasuke. He'll probably still be defiant, but reuniting the team might go a long ways towards swaying him."

Closing her eyes briefly while shaking her head, Tsunade blows out a frustrated breath. "This just keeps getting more complicated than it needs to be. Fine. But remember, Sakura, what you see and hear remains strictly classified. Understand?"

"Hai, Shishou," Sakura answers solemnly with a nod.

Sakura joins them as they silently leave the building for the short walk to the hospital. After getting updated by Shizune that Sasuke's treatment is complete and he's up for visitors, Tsunade leads them to his room. Naruto didn't injure him critically, but the extensive internal and external bruising all over his body, in addition to a few minor fractures, would keep him bedridden for a few days.

The hospital room was specially designed with hidden seals that could be keyed to the prisoner's unique chakra signature, preventing them from escaping. Sasuke is also secured to his bed with chakra restraints and a special seal was placed on him, preventing him from activating his Sharingan. Four hidden ANBU guards inside and outside the room complete the security measures. Ibiki is already inside the room, waiting as they filed in. Sasuke is being his old sullen self, refusing to acknowledge them and looking anywhere else but at them.

Sakura breaks the silence first. "Welcome back to the village, Sasuke-kun."

Naruto is shocked that she didn't run up and squeeze the shit out of the teme. Part of her is actually disappointed it didn't happen. It would've been fun to watch his eyes pop out from the pressure.

Sasuke refuses to answer the greeting, so Tsunade decides to kick things off first. She spends several minutes asking about his purpose in Konoha, where he has been the last few years, who his comrades are, etcetera. If he answers, it is only with short, sometimes monosyllabic answers.

The one sided conversation continues for several minutes before Naruto gets extremely annoyed.

"Hey, what the hell, teme? You knew we'd be asking you this shit, so why aren't you answering Baa-chan's questions? If you want help uncovering the truth about your clan, then you've gotta to give something back."

"Why should I?" he scoffs. "I'll just be tossed into a cell and forgotten anyway."

"Not if you give up all you know about Sound, Orochimaru and the Akatsuki." Tsunade interjects. "If the information is valuable enough, then you might earn your freedom. I'm not making any promises. You're not innocent and have pulled a lot of shit over the years. Being willingly honest could go a long way toward keeping you from spending the best years of your life in prison."

Sasuke considers it for a few moments. "I want in on the investigation."

"Can't do that," she states, shaking her head. "Ignoring the fact your punishment has yet to be determined, you don't have the clearance to access the high security vaults, which will be searched as part of the investigation."

"He won't need to, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi points out, drawing everyone's attention. "Naruto and I will be the ones accessing those areas. There's no security breach in reviewing the information with him as long as it's related to the investigation. He's also aware he'd only be hindering his chances of learning the truth if he compromises the investigation by leaking classified material. Aren't you, Sasuke?" he asks Sasuke with an arched brow.

Sasuke stares at his former sensei in surprise before nodding.

Scrutinizing the young man, Tsunade thinks about it before reaching a decision. "Alright Uchiha, if you freely give up everything you know, no matter how insignificant you think it is or that it's none of our business, you won't get a prison term. Know this, I'm not doing this because you're an Uchiha. I don't give a shit about that and it all depends on what you tell us. Understood?"

When Sasuke nods, she continues.

"You are still getting punished even with compliance. Regardless of what you think, you did not have the right to abandon your sworn oaths to protect and serve the village to associate with an S-ranked missing nin. Other than resisting arrest, you did not attack any Konoha nins or commit any other crimes against the village. So, if all goes well, I'll put you on probation. You'd be confined to the village for duration of six-months with ANBU watching you 24/7. A tracking and restriction seal will be placed on you to reinforce your compliance. Even if you shake your guards, the moment you step outside the walls you'll be painfully shocked into unconsciousness. When you wake up you'll be in your new room at the prison. You will also pay restitution for damages incurred when you left the village and during the failed retrieval missions."

"Restitution?" Sasuke hisses. "I shouldn't have to pay anything if the village is guilty of causing my clans demise!"

"That has nothing to do with the injuries incurred when the retrieval team attempted to bring you back!" Tsunade counters fiercely. "They were following orders when you left _**without**_ permission. Your actions put them in situations that caused injuries to nearly every single member of the retrieval team. Two nearly died as a result. There is _**no**_ excuse for that."

Her fierce gaze holds his defiant glare until he finally looks away. Mentally smirking in triumph, she continues. "So, depending on how much damage you caused over the years, the amount could increase."

Sasuke turns to glare murderously at her again.

Tsunade shrugs dismissively. "My game, my rules. I don't have to let you play at all. Like you said, I could easily toss your ass into the deepest, darkest cell we have, never to see the light of day again. You'd never know the outcome of the investigation. Play nice and I'll let you participate. You will only see those documents related to the investigation, nothing else you do not have clearance for."

Sasuke glares for a few moments before taking a deep breath and nodding.

"Knew you'd see it my way," she chirps before continuing. "I'll admit your skills are advanced enough for jounin. However, another part of your punishment is you'll retain the rank you were when you left, genin."

Sasuke stares at her in shock, but she cuts him off when he opens his mouth to protest. "You have to prove yourself, Uchiha. You're on the fence regarding our culpability in the demise of your clan. That doesn't make you trustworthy. You have to prove yourself by earning your promotions. Once your probation is complete you can go on missions again. I won't make you do D-ranks. Besides, you don't have to wait long for the chance to become a chuunin. The next exam is five months away. I'll let you participate and if you're promoted it'll only be short wait before you can go on missions again."

Tsunade gives him a few minutes then continues with her final pitch. "Any way you look at it, if you want to uncover the truth about what happened to your clan you've got to earn our trust. If it helps any, I've assigned Kakashi and Naruto to lead the investigation."

Sasuke's eyes snap to her in shock.

"So, you can either accept my terms or be tossed into a cell and be completely forgotten. It's your choice, regardless of what you think we did or didn't do."

The tense silence stretches out while Sasuke thinks about Tsunade's terms. Finally he nods. "I accept your terms and conditions."

Naruto and Sakura grin in relief.

"Alright, I'm leaving you with Ibiki then. There's one thing I'd like to know before we leave. Why didn't you go all out in the battle? You hardly used your Sharingan at all."

Sasuke stares at the blonde Hokage for a moment, contemplating still being difficult, but his desire for the truth wins out. "I was aware when ANBU arrived. I was sure I'd win, but had to save enough strength to escape afterward."

Tsunade merely arches a brow before signaling Ibiki.

He nods and steps forward. "The more information you provide and the sooner you give it up, the less it'll hurt. That's a promise."

Sasuke turns to snarl in defiance, but it quickly dies on his lips when he stares into the scarred man's eyes. He realizes he wasn't grandstanding. Mutely he nods his head in compliance.

Tsunade promptly leaves the room, leading the remainder of Team 7 and Jiraiya to her office at the hospital. Once they are settled inside moments later Sakura speaks up.

"May I help with the investigation, Shishou?"

Tsunade looks at the eager young woman before shaking her head. "Although you're a jounin, you don't have the clearance to access the files or to even look at the ones Sasuke is permitted to. I'm making an exception for him to get his compliance. I can't justify doing that for you." At Sakura's crestfallen look, she sighs, adding, "Besides, you're due to start your advanced surgery rotation soon and there's no way you'll have the time. Interrupting your training now could seriously hamper your progress and we can't afford to delay it. As you know, we are critically low on highly skilled surgical medics."

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, we'll keep you up to date on what we can as we progress. Besides, Sasuke's gonna need all our help readjusting to being back home. So, by being there for him you'll be a tremendous asset," Naruto reassures her.

Sighing deeply, Sakura agrees. "I know, and you're right."

Seeing that issue was settled, Tsunade turns her attention to Kakashi and Naruto. "You two will start tomorrow. Report to me in the morning and I'll give you a starting point. Sakura," she begins, turning to her apprentice, "I don't need to remind you not to discuss the investigation with anyone. Everything you hear today is classified, understood?"

"Hai, Shishou."

"Good." Tsunade focuses on the other two again. "As a cover, Kakashi will be going on solo missions without actually leaving the village. We don't need anyone wondering why you're being kept home all of a sudden. You'll just have to become scarce for a few days to keep up the ruse, Kakashi." When he nods, she turns to Naruto. "You'll be starting your training as my apprentice for Hokage, so no one will question why you're digging through highly classified documents. If Sasuke is cleared, then he can join you in the investigation and you can review what you have with him to get him up to speed. If not, the investigation shall proceed without him."

"I'll sniff around to see what sort of rumors and information I can dig up regarding the massacre. There might be something new out there that we missed before," Jiraiya offers.

"Good idea." Tsunade pauses to scan her subordinates. "I doubt Sakura will have the time, but you two can consult with her regarding information she has clearance for as you see fit. However, you are not to go out of your way to include her. Her training is at a critical point and she can't afford to become distracted by the investigation. I can't emphasize enough that the investigation is to remain hush-hush. As word gets around of Sasuke's return, you are permitted to at least reveal you're helping him assimilate back into the village. If Sasuke is cleared, he'll be made aware of this restriction as well. Dismissed."

The remainder of Team 7 left together in awkward silence. It was dusk by now, casting everything in a beautiful golden hue accented by dramatic shadows. Once outside the hospital, Sakura speaks first.

"We should go to dinner together to catch up," she suggests hopefully, then quickly adds, "My treat!"

Kakashi watches Naruto hesitate to accept. He couldn't blame her. Sakura appearing out of the blue, suddenly wanting to associate with them again is tough to swallow. However, he knew there was another part of her that waited years for Sakura to come around again.

"Sure," he answers his former student.

With a questioning look, Naruto turns to stare at him.

"She's paying," he shrugs.

Not knowing what else to do, Naruto reluctantly agrees and they end up at a booth in Choji's favorite Korean BBQ restaurant. After placing their order another awkward silence falls over them.

"I'm sorry," Sakura says quietly.

Naruto had been flipping through the drink and dessert menu left at the table while Kakashi stuck his nose in his ever-present Icha Icha. Both immediately stop what they are doing to gape at Sakura as they sit across the table from her, uncertain they heard correctly.

"I'm sorry for being so distant," she repeats. "It wasn't anything either of you did or didn't do. It was all me."

Sakura's eyes drop to the table briefly while Naruto looks at her in confusion. Kakashi's face remains inscrutable.

Taking a deep breath, she looks up at both her former teammates. "I couldn't stay with the team because I felt worthless and useless. I didn't feel like I was contributing anything whenever we tried bringing Sasuke-kun back. I wasn't strong enough to be of much help and only got in the way."

When Naruto starts protesting, Sakura holds up a hand to stop her. "Please, let me finish."

She took another deep breath. "I was ashamed because you guys were doing most of the work. I know I only have myself to blame," she admits forlornly. "Being smart on paper is fine, but I neglected other areas of my training and if I had been stronger as a kunoichi and focused more on training, I could've contributed more when Sasuke-kun left. Maybe together we could've changed things. That's why I left."

"Why didn't you say something?" Naruto asks, confused.

Sighing, Sakura gives her a sad smile. "My shame wouldn't let me admit it at the time. It was a kind of denial. I knew the truth, but couldn't admit it to you guys. I felt like I was going backwards compared to everyone else. Eventually it got so bad I just couldn't keep lying to myself anymore. I thought it was best to leave so I could rectify my mistakes by working hard to improve under Tsunade-shishou. I just couldn't bear to face either of you until I could honestly look you in the eye and say 'I can hold my own now.'"

Sakura's expression becomes sheepish. "Unfortunately, when I finally felt strong enough, I couldn't figure out how to explain it. I kept making excuses and was a coward for not coming to see you sooner."

"I thought you blamed me for failing to bring Sasuke back and that's why you left," Naruto says, once she gets over her shock.

Sakura shakes her head. "Not at all. Like I said, it had nothing to do with anything anyone else did or said." A small rueful smile crosses her lips. "I forgot all of Kakashi-sensei's lessons about teamwork. I should've realized that applied to sharing my concern over my weakness."

"You were strong enough back then, Sakura," Kakashi points out. "Despite all of our best efforts, we all failed to bring Sasuke back. He was determined to pursue revenge, so there was nothing anyone could do to stop him."

Sakura cocks her head slightly, considering it before reluctantly agreeing. "True, but I could've helped more if I was stronger. That's why I focused on improving myself, to help the team get stronger."

"Well, what happened in the past should stay there," Naruto states firmly. "You learned from it, so you need to move on. Right now Sasuke needs our help. I sure as hell don't believe for a minute the Third had anything to do with the massacre. I don't care if they found the old man standing on a pile of bodies, covered in blood and praying to Jashin! If he ordered it, he would've told everyone why. So I don't buy it."

Kakashi nods before adding, "It's important we uncover the truth and since you can't do much to help with that, Sakura, you'll be doing a lot by just being there for Sasuke. It's going to take time for him to reintegrate into the village and won't have many supporters, if any."

Rolling her eyes, Naruto agrees. "No kidding! Especially among the rookies. So it's gonna be up to us to keep the teme in line."

Reassured, Sakura smiles at Naruto and Kakashi. Soon their food arrives and they enjoy a nice relaxing meal together, chatting and catching up. It isn't long before they call it a night, since Sakura has another early shift the next day.

* * *

The sound of a key scraping in the lock followed by the distinctive click of it opening alerts the lone occupant of the comfortable living room. Looking up from the tabloid she was reading, the pink haired woman smiles when she sees her daughter step tiredly through the front door. Hastily setting the magazine aside, the thin woman excitedly rushes across the room as Sakura removes her shoes.

"Did you hear the great news? Rumor's going around Uchiha Sasuke is back!"

Sakura rolls her eyes before coldly replying, "I know. I saw him today."

"You did!" her mother squeals delightedly, following Sakura through the house to her room. The questions pour out of her mouth in a steady stream. "Is he alright? Will they be punishing him? Will Tsunade-sama reform Team 7?"

"Shut up, Chiwa." Sakura orders with a growl.

Chiwa stops cold. Part of her knows not to anger Sakura when she's like this, but another is bursting for answers. Irritation soon wins as she snaps out, "I'm only hearing partial rumors! You've seen him and know more than anyone else!"

"Tsunade-sama has ordered me to remain silent. I can't tell you anything, Chiwa," Sakura mutters over her shoulder.

"I'm your mother, you should be able to tell me anything. And why don't you call me 'mother?'" she demands, planting her hands on her hips.

Reaching her room Sakura stops just outside her doorway to face her mother. "Because you hate being called 'mother.' You said it made you feel old and my calling you by your given name fools people into thinking we're sisters. Or so you said," she sneers in annoyance.

"Well, it's true! People will think I'm your older sister if you call me by my given name. However, since no one else is around, I'd like for you to call me 'mother,'" Chiwa huffs.

"That implies I respect you. I don't," Sakura replies, giving her a flat look. "And before you start repeating like a scratched record, I can't tell you much about Sasuke. That order includes you. All I can say is Sasuke has surrendered and will be returning to Konoha."

The older woman laughs delightedly, forgetting her irritation completely. "Oh, that's wonderful! There's still a chance of you becoming the matriarch of the new Uchiha clan!"

Turning from rummaging through her drawers, Sakura glares at her mother. "Marrying Sasuke is no longer my goal. I will be doing what I can to help him reacclimate to the village, as his friend and teammate, _**NOT**_ as some horny slut panting after his dick."

"You're a young lady! Don't be so crass!" Chiwa scolds, an embarrassed blush creeping across her face.

"Shut the hell up and get out!" Sakura orders. "I've got an early shift in the morning."

"Well, if you're going to be that way, then maybe I shouldn't give this to you," her mother sneers, drawing a folded piece of paper from her pocket. "It arrived just before you returned home and I don't…"

Chiwa cries in alarm as she's slammed hard against the wall next to the door. She feels something cold and hard pressed against her neck as she watches her daughter lean in close enough to kiss. Sakura isn't any taller than her, but when angered like this, Chiwa feels she towers over her.

"I've warned you about interfering with these messages. Do you want me to punish you like last time?" Sakura asks in a sickly, sweet voice.

Her mother barely stammers out, "No."

Smirking coldly Sakura sneers, "Good girl."

Releasing her mother, she snatches the note away to read the encrypted message, completely ignoring Chiwa's soft sobs. Finally she looks up from the note.

"I'm going out again, don't wait up."

"But you just got home!" Chiwa gasps, regaining her composure.

Sakura turns to level a freezing glare, shutting her up quickly. "You know I can't ignore these orders. Make yourself useful and prepare my clothes for tomorrow since I've got an early shift."

Chiwa nods mutely, watching her daughter disappear into the night.

* * *

Minutes later Sakura arrives at a beautiful, pagoda style mansion located on the outskirts of the village. Surreptitiously she eases through an upstairs window, creeping her way along the shadowed, empty hallway. Silently she slips through a door at the end of the hallway into a large, darkened study.

As she makes her way across the room a floor lamp is switched on. In one fluid motion, she snatches out a kunai, whirling on her adversary in the corner.

Unperturbed, Danzo silently watches her before strolling past over to the desk. She stays in a defensive stance, watching as settles himself into the luxurious, leather chair.

"You are late."

"Blame it on that stupid whore who gave birth to me. Idiot barely gave me the message. I came as soon as I got it," she retorts snidely, relaxing her stance and putting the kunai away. "I'm the one who's pissed. Why the fuck did you have to call me over this late? The Uchiha fag's not going anywhere, so this could've waited until tomorrow. I've had a long day and was looking forward to soaking in a bath."

Danzo waves off her ire dismissively. "There is no time to waste because of the return of Uchiha Sasuke. We need to immediately pick up where we left off and start moving things in the right direction."

Rolling her eyes Sakura settles in a chair across from him. "If that includes me going back to being a dithering, drooling fangirl, you're an idiot. That didn't work the first time and it won't work this time. I don't think I could catch Sasuke's interest if I stood in front of him naked. Even if he is straight, that whole fangirl bit completely turned him off from me. You were stupid to suggest I follow that whore Ino's example," she spat scathingly.

"That course only failed because you went overboard. I told you to follow her _example_. That did not mean copy her every move to the letter."

Jumping to her feet in outrage, knocking over her chair in the process, she shouts at the bandaged man. "I fucking did my part! I followed your orders! You said if I followed the blonde tramp I'd learn everything I needed to know about seducing the opposite sex! So how the fuck would I know not to follow her every move! It's not my fault!"

Sakura slams her fist down on the desk hard enough to cause the items on top to bounce before toppling over.

Leaning back in his chair, Danzo calmly watches a heavily breathing, seething Sakura glare hatefully at him. Giving her a few minutes to calm down a little, he waits until he sees her eyes narrow slightly, showing she's no longer caught up in her rage filled haze.

With a nod of his head, he finally speaks. "Agreed. You did a good job emulating the Yamanaka girl. Unfortunately, besides you, I have very few kunoichi in ROOT. Most are too weak for the training and do not take to the program very well. I had no one to properly train in you the art of seduction. I must also acknowledge that Sasuke did not share many of the same interests as his peers, which hindered the process further."

Knowing that is as close to an apology she'd get, Sakura huffs in annoyance before picking up the chair and sitting down again.

"I understand you got to visit with Sasuke earlier, what can you tell me?"

Sakura quickly informs him about what little she's heard about Sasuke's capture. Once she heard he was captured alive, she immediately raced over to the Tower to see if Tsunade would tell her more. She explains that Tsunade put Kakashi and Naruto in charge of investigating the Uchiha massacre, but said she couldn't be a part of it. She also made a deal with Sasuke that he could aid in the investigation depending on the information he gives up.

"As Tsunade was verbally sparring with the monosyllabic poster child for brooding spoiled brats, I thought it'd be a good idea to try reconnecting with Kakashi and Naruto. Unfortunately that drunk Tsunade refuses to allow me to help in the investigation despite my superb research skills. I figured I needed some way to keep track of things to see what they uncover."

"Good call. Although Sai is still a part of their team, they would not share much regarding their research with him. Otherwise, she would have merely assigned it to Torture and Interrogation," Danzo reasons.

Nodding, Sakura continues. "That's why I thought it was time to "_apologize_" for dropping them. I laid it on nice and thick too, playing off the whole '_I believed I was too weak to keep up again_' crap," she mocks. "They bought it hook, line and sinker."

"Do not get complacent. You avoided them for years. It will take time for them to fully accept you again," he warns.

"I know!" she snaps. Rolling her eyes in annoyance she continues. "But they're such saps for protecting those weaker than them, it was the only thing I could think of to explain why I abandoned them. I couldn't exactly tell them since Sasuke was gone my mission for you was over and I didn't want to stick around anymore pretending to be their friend. So far it seems to be working," She shrugs. "Anyway, I'm starting my advanced surgery training this week and the drunk is supervising. Even if I had the time, I couldn't get that involved in the investigation. At least now I can count on getting some info on it."

Danzo remains quiet for several minutes, thinking over everything they've discussed. "Here are your new orders. Do what you can to get close to the Uchiha again, at least as a friend if not closer. If the opportunity presents itself, you are also to kill the demon vessel."

Sakura arches a brow. "We're going after the baka? Why when we've left her alone all this time?"

"She has grown strong as I suspected she would. Unfortunately, she has been thoroughly poisoned by Sarutobi's teachings and there is no hope of recruiting her for ROOT anymore. I would have liked to have assigned you to recruit the vessel when you were children, but I wanted you to focus on seducing Sasuke. There is no changing that now, but she now poses as a potential obstacle to my plans. I prefer to reduce the risks. If you can make her demise look like an accident without any connection to yourself or ROOT, all the better. Sai will be your backup. He will check in with you from time to time, but will remain in the shadows waiting to take advantage of any opportunity as well. Get what information you can and continue staying close to Tsunade."

When Sakura nods in acceptance, he continues. "I also think it is time you get a boyfriend."

Green eyes narrow dangerously as Sakura tilts her head down, giving him a glare that clearly says 'are you kidding me?' Danzo ignores her glare.

"There is a young man who was recently promoted to chuunin and has started working in the Mission Room. As you know, the Mission Room is an excellent location to pick up stray bits of valuable information, regardless of how classified it is. As your boyfriend, he would not think twice about repeating what he has heard. He might tell you things Tsunade does not share with you."

Sakura rolls her eyes in annoyance. "So, I've basically got to deflower another virgin so we can share pillow talk about his day? Sheesh. Alright, I'll hook up with him. He might be good for an alibi or two if I need it later."

Danzo nods. "The young man is naïve enough to be easily manipulated. He should be a useful tool for you. He is also another means by which to hone your seduction skills. You need to develop more variety in order to adapt to different men and their different needs. There is no better way than practical experience even if it is with a young man wet behind the ears in the romance department. It will also serve to lower Sasuke's guard around you. He will not think you still chase him, giving you the chance to gain his friendship."

Sakura smiles sweetly as she rises from her chair and comes around the desk to sit on Danzo's lap. Caressing his face she leans in close to whisper seductively, "I thought my seduction skills were up to snuff already."

Danzo raises his left hand to point in her face. "That is a skill that must be constantly cultivated," he admonishes.

Holding his gaze she gently grabs his wrist, slowly taking his finger into her mouth and sucking on it seductively. Releasing it, she gently massages his wrist, whispering, "I have some time to practice right now if you'd like."

Danzo's only answer is a leer.


	3. The Return: Chapter 3

Intermittent spots of subdued yellow descend from the lampposts, illuminating the darkened Konoha streets. Taking their time, Kakashi and Naruto casually stroll together, enjoying the contemplative silence that descended on them.

Several minutes already passed since they parted ways with Sakura outside the BBQ restaurant after dinner. They had offered to walk her home, but she declined, promising to get in touch with them within a week before disappearing into the night. Lost in their own thoughts, their quiet footfalls echo in the crisp March air.

"Why were you hesitant with Sakura earlier?" Kakashi asks, finally breaking the silence.

Sighing heavily, Naruto glances over at him. "I thought she was mad at me for not keeping my promise to bring Sasuke back." At his arched brow she shrugs. "It was the only explanation I could come up with as to why she suddenly changed after Sasuke left. I thought I was imagining it at first. Y'know, a sort of self-flagellation, blaming myself for failing."

"Hmmm, flagellation," Kakashi muses. "That's an awfully big word for you. And you pronounced it right too," he teases.

Throwing a heated glare, Naruto snaps, "It's easier to use big words when you're used to reading them. 'Flagellation' is not something _**you'd**_ find in an Icha Icha, like 'sodomy' and 'sadomasochism.'"

"Interesting you know what sodomy and sadomasochism are," Kakashi drawls, leaning in closer to whisper, "Is there something I should know about you, Naruto-chan? Hmmm? Like maybe you have a side interest in things like whips, gags and leather corsets?"

Naruto's face flushes bright red. Her expression shifts from shock to a fierce scowl as she growls and turns to try slugging him hard in his upper arm. Kakashi chuckles while sidestepping the blow easily.

"_Anyways_," she bites out, attempting to ignore a still chuckling Kakashi, "didn't matter whether it was my fault or not 'cause I didn't have much time to dwell on it. That was when I took off with Ero-sennin for a couple of years. That theory didn't hold up when I got back, though, because she only got worse after every failed retrieval. I took her distance with you as a sort of extension of her anger with me. Her leaving the team pretty much confirmed that."

Staring ahead thoughtfully, he nods in agreement. "I noticed the distance, but thought she was depressed or upset with the way things were going. I tried talking to her while you were gone, but she claimed everything was fine and didn't have time to chat because she was in the middle of her medical training. I tried again after she filed the request, but she only said she had her reasons and asked me not to bother her about it anymore."

"I'm not surprised," Naruto states, closing her eyes briefly and shaking her head. "Sakura has been so remote the last couple of years, sometimes it seemed like she deliberately ignored me whenever I said 'hi.' Even when all the Rookies gathered together for our monthly dinner, Sakura always skipped them if she learned I was going until she eventually stopped going. The few times she did go she thought I wouldn't be there and it was really awkward. It was just really surprising when she ran up and hugged me after all this time."

"You thought she'd lay you flat out on your back with a punch," Kakashi teases.

"Pretty much," she chuckles before sobering again. "Now I get why. It just never occurred to me she thought she was holding the team back. I thought she got over that when she trained under Baa-chan."

"Obviously not," he states, scrutinizing her a moment before adding, "You did a great job convincing Sasuke to surrender."

Her startled gaze snaps to him before looking away as a blush races across her cheeks. "Thanks. It's nice to know at least one person is okay with Sasuke being back."

"Why?" His head tilts to the side slightly in curiosity.

"Not even the Rookies will be happy he's back. Well, most of the guys who went after the teme, anyway. Not that I can blame them," she shrugs, looking up at the sky. "I can almost hear it now. Kiba will demand to know why I didn't shove a Rasengan up Sasuke's ass 'til both heads popped. Neji will say it would've been fate for the Uchiha to die at my hands. Choji will probably just stop eating long enough to glare at me and Shikamaru will go on about how troublesome it was to bring him back, blah, blah, blah."

"It was an ANBU mission, they shouldn't even know you were the one to apprehend him," Kakashi states, confusion coloring his voice.

"Normally that's true, but you're forgetting Ino's my teammate. She knows not to reveal mission details, but this is too big to keep from the others. And she'll only tell them because she knows they'll keep their mouths shut." Naruto shakes her head ruefully. "Baa-chan forgot about that and didn't pull her aside to order her to stay quiet, so by now they'll know. Chances are Ino will be my partner on border patrol for the next two months before the week is out."

Kakashi doesn't answer and shakes his head as they enter the district Naruto lives in. Both immediately notice a significant jump in activity. The strong smell of smoke and a filmy haze permeates the air, causing both to share a look, understanding something bad must've happened. Curious as to what's going on, they quicken their pace.

A crowd gathers in the street near Naruto's building, making it difficult for the two to get closer. The ANBU moving through the trees prevent them from using that as a way around the predominantly civilian crowd. They manage to work their way to the front to speak with one of the shinobi managing crowd control when they hear a shout.

"Naruto!"

Turning, they see Ino rushing over, relief evident on her face as she grabs Naruto in a fierce hug, incoherently gushing about Naruto being alright.

"Um, yeah, Ino. Why wouldn't I be?" Naruto asks in confusion, attempting to at least loosen the blonde's vice grip enough to return circulation to her extremities.

Releasing her, Ino steps back, studying both Naruto and Kakashi's baffled expressions.

"You haven't heard?" It was more a statement than a question.

"We just got done having dinner with Sakura. What's going on?"

Ino blinks at them in shock. "You and Sakura are talking to each other?" she asks in disbelief.

"Ino…" Naruto glowers in irritation.

"Alright, tell me about it later. Anyway, there was a minor explosion and your apartment caught fire. It's completely gutted. It severely damaged the empty unit next to yours, plus the occupied one behind you. The one below mostly got water damage. And before you ask, no one got hurt."

Ino gives Naruto a chance to sigh in relief before continuing. "No one knew for certain if you were still home or not because some neighbors remembered seeing you earlier. The fire was so bad no one could go in to check if you were inside trapped or something. Tsunade-sama already has ANBU investigating, but they only just got the fire out a while ago."

Stunned, Naruto processes Ino's words before slowly gazing up to her building. Artificial lights already in place illuminate the charred hollow that remained of her apartment.

"What the hell?" she mutters.

Ino and Kakashi watch the distressed expression creep across her face as she absorbs the implications. Ino promptly hugs her tight while Kakashi lays a hand on Naruto's shoulder, both offering their quiet support.

"Gaki!"

Pulling back from Ino's hug, Naruto looks over to see Tsunade and Iruka approaching. Iruka immediately grabs her into a hug, whispering, "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm fine," she whispers back reassuringly.

"I'm sorry, gaki," Tsunade apologizes, taking her turn to hug Naruto when Iruka releases her. "They couldn't save your apartment. Everything was completely destroyed. It was arson."

"Arson?" she asks, stunned.

Iruka snakes his arm around Naruto's shoulder when Tsunade steps back to explain what happened. Kakashi and Ino remain close, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"I haven't been home much today, so I know I didn't leave anything on. Are you sure it wasn't electrical or something? The building _is_ old, baa-chan."

Tsunade shakes her head.

"What the hell?" Naruto mutters again in shock. "No one's given me trouble like this for years. Who'd want to torch my place now?"

"The investigation just started," Tsunade explains. "ANBU discovered a motion triggered explosive tag and identified it as the cause of the fire. It wasn't powerful enough to destroy the whole building, just your unit and damaging several surrounding units. The working theory we have so far is you might've left a window open and a strong breeze knocked over one of your plants, triggering the tag."

Shaking her head sadly, Naruto replies, "After changing before reporting to you, I walked out the door. It must've been the stray cat I took in last week and was looking for a home for."

"That explains why ANBU found what was left of some sort of animal," Tsunade muses. "We didn't know if it somehow got trapped inside after the fire started because I knew you didn't have pets. At first we thought it might've been a villager who did this. Word's already gotten around about Sasuke's return," the older blonde growls, scowling at Ino, who cowers away in response. "Anyway, we thought it was somehow a related retaliation, but we've determined the trap was set by a shinobi, not a civilian, making it less likely. The fact your unit was the only one targeted and completely destroyed and the neighbors hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary lends weight to this theory."

"Yeah, they've been great about keeping an eye out for me for years. They would've noticed someone lurking around if they weren't a shinobi."

Eyeing the tired redhead, Tsunade sighs wearily. "Since it'll take awhile for you to get reestablished and we don't know who's responsible, it'd be a good idea if you stay with someone for a while."

"Naruto can stay with me and we can go shopping for her new wardrobe first thing in the morning," Ino happily offers before anyone could say anything.

Naruto cringed. "Ino, shopping aside, which you know I _**hate**_, I can't stay with you. Your place is too small and you know how overprotective your dad is. And he's got every reason to be concerned, especially once he hears about the fire. You'd be a target too." She cuts Ino off when she starts to protest. "It's happened before, so you know that's a real possibility."

"You can stay with me, then."

Everyone turns to gape at Kakashi, who shrugs. "I've got a spare bedroom. Plus, there are several chuunin and jounin living in my building. It'll be safer than anywhere else we can come up with."

"Kakashi…" Naruto starts to protest, but Tsunade cuts her off.

"It's a great idea. Can she move in tonight?"

"Right now, in fact."

Iruka glances at Naruto's face, seeing the reluctance in her eyes. "I was going to insist you stay with me," he says reassuringly, giving her shoulders a squeeze, "but Kakashi's place would be safer with all the shinobi living in the building."

Looking around, Naruto realizes she's outvoted with no say in the matter. Sighing heavily, she grudgingly nods.

"Alright, I'll move in with Kakashi."

* * *

Standing in the doorway a half hour later, Naruto's eyes narrows dangerously as she observes her new room.

Calling it a 'spare bedroom' was a misnomer. It could be more accurately described as Kakashi's library and dumping ground. The bookshelves lining one wall not only contained scrolls and books of varying topics. Most contained jutsu and chakra theory. His prized Icha Icha collection took up the most shelf space. Boxes stacked waist high, camping equipment, several old rugs (which she chose not to question), blankets and other household items congest the floor, making it nearly impassable. She isn't surprised, but is annoyed he'd offer a room with barely enough space to stand in, much less (for her) to sleep in.

With much grumbling and cursing, she starts shifting things around. It had already been a long and extremely tiring day. She could feel her body starting to give out, but she pushes on because she wants to finish and take a shower before crashing into bed. After several minutes she gets fed up, deciding to deal with it after her shower. She figures the worst that could happen is she will have to sleep sitting up in the small space she already cleared.

Several minutes later she emerges, toweling off her hair and feeling a hell of a lot better. She sports a pair of Kakashi's sweatpants and an old t-shirt she pilfered before disappearing into the bathroom. Still annoyed over the bedroom, she uses his stuff to clean up with, not bothering to ask permission ahead of time. It wasn't like she had the chance to pack an overnight bag anyway.

Crossing the hallway into the bedroom, she stands in the doorway in shock. A large space on the floor is cleared and swept clean. A sleeping roll, extra blankets and a pillow are already set up for her use.

"I'll clean the rest of it tomorrow."

She turns to see Kakashi standing behind her.

"Most of it was ready to be given away; I just hadn't done it yet."

Smiling softly, Naruto merely nods, too tired for a snappy retort. She's surprised when he pulls her into a hug.

"We'll find who did this," he promises.

"Thanks for everything," she replies quietly, returning the hug.

A few minutes later she's settled under the covers, deep in sleep.

* * *

While Sasuke recovers in the hospital and is interviewed by Ibiki, Naruto and Kakashi officially start their investigation of the Uchiha massacre. They don't have any idea where to begin, so they start by reviewing the original incident reports, both classified and unclassified, that Tsunade gave them the morning after Sasuke's return.

Kakashi was a seasoned ANBU at the time of the massacre, but wasn't a part of the investigation. He was in the Assassination and Infiltration division, so he wouldn't have been involved. He only knows what was officially released to the public. So, like Naruto, he is approaching the documents with fresh eyes. They carefully read through each file, jotting down whatever questions come to mind before discussing them for new ideas and theories.

Naruto thought training with the Hokage was just a smoke screen, but she quickly discovers Tsunade is serious. So, in addition to digging through dusty old files, Naruto spends a lot of time shadowing the Hokage throughout the day, as well as working in other areas of the Hokage Tower.

About a week after Sasuke returns, Naruto joins the rest of the Konoha 11, or K-11, for dinner. She always mentally rolled her eyes whenever she thought of Kiba's alternate nickname for the group. He keeps insisting they be called K-11, claiming it sounds cooler. They meet for their monthly group dinner earlier than scheduled for April. The dinners are their way of keeping up with each other, so everyone always makes the effort to attend.

It went without saying that Naruto's apartment blowing up and Sasuke are the main topics of the night. Since Tsunade hasn't officially announced whether he'd be allowed to return to the village, most of the K-11 don't bring their significant others like they usually do. This time their dinner is restricted to the core group.

As Naruto predicted, Ino has already given everyone a play-by-play account of the part of the battle she witnessed. She is also correct that Tsunade punished Ino for blabbing about Sasuke's arrest. The older blonde found out about it when she called Ino in later that evening before Naruto's apartment fire, ordering her silence, only to discover it was too late. Tsunade was in the middle of berating the younger blonde when she was notified of the fire. So, not only is Ino assigned Naruto's partner on border patrol, but she is also assigned to Tsunade's guard detail during the budget meetings. Naruto got some sadistic satisfaction knowing that she, at least, got busted for something better than gossiping.

Since they are the only ones Ino told, the others didn't want risk Tsunade's wrath by having the details of both incidents spread beyond them through their girlfriends or boyfriends. Choji sits with his longtime girlfriend Hinata while Kiba sits with Tenten, whom he has been dating for a couple of months. Everyone else huddles close together around the circular table to deter eavesdroppers.

The guys prove Naruto right; they aren't happy with the news of Sasuke's return. She endures several minutes of angry, overlapping tirades and insults against Sasuke before slamming her hand down on the table, hard. Cringing as she rubs her hand, she's glad it works, but wonders how in the hell Baa-chan does that without pain.

"Alright, I got it. I should've shredded Sasuke with a Rasengan instead of hauling his sorry ass in alive. He's nothing but a selfish asshole who's caused nothing but trouble. I hear you guys. Now will you listen to me?"

Looking each one of her friends in the eye confirms she has their undivided attention.

"Thanks," she says, smiling, before taking a deep breath. "Don't think I've forgiven the teme. I haven't. He's done too much shit to ignore and wave off as being a naughty boy. But remember what Shikamaru said when we chased after his ass the first time? He's a Konoha shinobi and still a comrade. That's why I'm giving him a chance to earn my trust again. I know you guys probably can't do that, but that's something between each of you and the teme. This is my deal."

Naruto pauses to sigh, giving each a chance to think about her words.

"I've gotta admit I hoped to start bringing the teme around to our dinners, but if you have a problem with it, I won't. I'll respect your wishes and not force him on you guys. Don't be surprised if you see me dragging his ass outside of his house to make him more sociable. If he's going to stay, he's not going to pull that whole '_I'm too cool for human contact 'cause I'm the anti-social avenger_' crap," she mocks with her hands on her hips before resuming her normal voice. "He needs to get over himself and become a team player, even if it kills him. I'm just letting you guys know what's going on."

Leaning back in her seat, Naruto takes a sip of her tea, giving everyone a chance to think.

"You know Lee and I are in on the Great Teme Reformation," Ino quips as their teammate nods, flashing a toothy grin and thumbs up.

"Is that what we're calling it?" Naruto laughs as Ino nods.

"We hardly interacted when we were in the academy, but I'll do what I can to help," Hinata says with a soft smile.

Choji looks at her in surprise before nodding. "Guess I'm in too."

Slowly the rest commit themselves to helping and allowing her to bring Sasuke to their dinners, should Tsunade allow him to rejoin the village.

"I just want to make one thing clear, Naruto," Kiba states seriously, causing everyone to quiet down again. "I'm not going easy on the jerk. I'm not going to pretend to be friendly and welcoming. I can't. He's got to show me he's serious about rejoining the village and acting like a comrade, not the godlike Uchiha he believed himself to be. He is not my superior," he growls fiercely.

"I don't expect you guys to be nice and welcoming. I want you to be honest. I don't want to sugarcoat anything with him. He knew exactly what he was doing and we have every right to tell him how pissed off we are. I know none of us fawned over him, raising him up on a pedestal like a lot of villagers. Well, except Ino," Naruto teases, causing everyone to laugh at the blonde's glare. "We treated him like everyone else and deserved better. He needs to know how badly he fucked up and face us."

Kiba considers it before nodding in acceptance. The group falls into discussing Sasuke for a short time longer before moving on to discuss who'd want to try to kill Naruto. As they laugh over wild, implausible theories, Naruto is grateful she at least has their support, even if it's reluctant. She's determined to change Sasuke's attitude for the better.

* * *

It doesn't take long for Naruto to settle into her new routine. However, it takes longer to get comfortable living with Kakashi. As promised, he finished clearing out the room for her, but she feels odd living with someone after living alone for most of her life. She recognizes he's adjusting too, since she can't remember hearing about him ever having a roommate before.

Although they saw each other frequently over the years, even regularly going on missions together, it's odd seeing him every day. She knows he values his privacy, so she tries her hardest not to encroach on it too much. She is extra diligent in not looking whenever he has his mask down. She's still curious as to what his face looks like, but has come to the conclusion in recent years that if he wants her to see it he'd show her. Just because he's kind enough to open his home to her doesn't mean she has the right to try peeking. Kakashi appreciates her efforts and it makes things more relaxed between them.

About two weeks after Naruto moves in, Kakashi's stunned to learn she's dating Genma while they prepare dinner one evening.

He blinks several times before asking, "You've been together about three months?"

Naruto nods.

"Must be losing my touch. I'm not that antisocial," he mutters irritably.

Naruto laughs as she washes the vegetables. "Don't worry about it. We haven't been together long and haven't exactly been advertising it."

Noticing something in her tone, Kakashi pauses in preparing the beef to study her for a few moments.

"You don't have that new relationship giddiness," he states, earning a glare. "It's almost like you're expecting it to be short term. Did you find out the reason Genma wears his hitai-ate like a bandanna is because he's really bald and hates combing his hair?"

Unable to resist, Naruto busts out laughing again. "You're so full of shit! He's not bald! And he does comb his hair; he just likes the length and doesn't want to grow it longer to tie into a ponytail. It gets in his way if he doesn't wear his headband like that."

"Then why the hesitation? Is it because of your age difference?"

Naruto remains quiet as she finishes chopping the vegetables and hands them over for the stir-fry he was making.

"Genma isn't interested in a relationship," she finally states as she gathers the utensils to set the table.

Feeling his eyes, she glances up before shrugging and turning her attention back to the table.

"We hardly go out and when we do it's usually to meet with his friends Raido, Aoba, Kotetsu and Izumo for pool. I don't mind because they're a lot of fun to hang out with, but we never do anything else. I'm not much into going out a lot, but some variety would be nice instead of eating dinner at a bar and shooting pool all the time."

"Have you tried telling him? It seems like an easy enough issue to resolve if you tell him," Kakashi points out as he tosses the vegetables into the wok with the beef.

"I've tried, but then I'm just being a nag trying to keep him from seeing his friends."

Feeling his stare, she looks up and shrugs at his quirked brow. "That's what he says. So I don't bring it up much anymore." The silence stretches out before she continues. "The guys go out of their way to include me, but I hate it when they start talking shop because that always ends with them trading war stories. At least between Aoba, Raido and Genma. Whenever I try contributing to the conversation, Genma just tells me to make myself useful and get them another round of drinks 'cause I don't know what I'm talking about."

Kakashi can feel the bitterness in her words more than hear it. Turning off the flame, he dishes out the food onto the plates, next to the rice, while Naruto readies the tea.

"What about Izumo and Kotetsu? They never served in the war. What are they doing when the others start trading stories?"

"Mostly they listen, but you know those two aren't the type to sit on the sidelines. They'll make comments and ask questions. What pisses me off is he doesn't do that to them."

Naruto takes a deep breath and pours out the tea while Kakashi brings the plates over to the table and they sit down.

After a few minutes of silent eating Naruto finally adds, "I've at least been in ANBU for a couple of years, I've got an idea of what it's like. But I don't go arrogantly acting like I know exactly what they've been through. And before you ask, yeah, I've gotten on Genma for it. He just tells me if their conversation bores me, I don't have to go with him when they meet up."

Kakashi stops eating to look at her incredulously. "He thought you were just complaining about the topic of their conversation?"

Keeping her head down, she replies, "Oh, he knew exactly what I meant when I told him I didn't appreciate being shut out, but it's easier to pin the blame on me if he puts it that way," she explains in annoyance before shaking her head. "I guess I'm not surprised. He's not really interested in me anyways since he never asks about what I like, my goals or anything. I've tried getting the ball rolling by asking about him, y'know, to show I'm interested in knowing more, but he doesn't say much. I've figured out Genma doesn't like talking to anyone but his friends and prefers hanging out at his place and making out. It didn't take long to realize he was only interested in one thing from me."

By this point, Kakashi has finished eating and pulled up his mask. At his arched brow Naruto blushes and looks back down at her food.

"I'm naïve about a lot of things, but not about that," she states quietly before looking back up. "I've actually been thinking of breaking it off, but we've only been together a couple of months, so I'm wondering if I'm just reading too much into it. Maybe I'm not making myself clear enough, I dunno. I just don't want to be like Ino used to be, paranoid about her boyfriends, thinking they're cheating if they so much as breathe in another woman's direction. And no, I don't think he's cheating on me," she adds at his questioning gaze.

"That's something you have to figure out," Kakashi states after a few more minutes of silence. "Does it feel like you're in a relationship?"

Naruto considers his question before hesitantly replying, "No."

"Your answer may be right there."

* * *

Sakura is pissed and means to make someone pay, preferably in blood.

Her ire has been growing since the day Sasuke returned. It was bad enough being stuck at the hospital learning all the boring surgery crap for her training. What made it worse was listening to the endless gossip at home and at work about the Uchiha fag's return. So she is in a fine mood by the time Danzo summons her nearly two weeks after the prick's return. She's surprised to find Sai with Danzo in his office and decides to take some of her anger out on him.

"Nice job blowing the baka to bits, Sai. Did you practice hitting the broad side of a barn to get it right?" she sneers.

"It was a spontaneous decision, Ugly," Sai calmly explains, deliberately using the hated nickname to watch her bristle. "You had Naruto distracted at dinner. Had the attempt succeeded, not only would it have killed her, but it would've been easily dismissed as retaliation by an angry villager now that the Uchiha is back."

"They wouldn't have dismissed it like that, you moron!" the medic snaps. "They already figured out it was a professional job and are still investigating it."

"It's not a concern," Sai shrugs. "There's nothing to connect anyone to the attempt, and all Tsunade-sama knows is there may be a shinobi in her ranks with a grudge against Naruto. Just because she's treated better now doesn't mean others aren't hiding their true feelings. Besides, how was I to know she had a cat that would trigger the explosion early?"

When Sakura opens her mouth, Danzo promptly cuts her off.

"Homura informed me all evidence besides the small pieces of the tag they found were completely destroyed in the fire. However, no further attempts should be made until Sasuke becomes a chuunin. He has been cooperating, so I have no doubt he will be released soon to rejoin the village. Tsunade is likely to reform Team 7 since there will be few shinobi willing to work with him. It will not be long before they take missions so he can progress to Jounin. That will make it easier to take out the vessel. Any further attempts within the village, especially now that she is living with Hatake, will only raise suspicion. If he were caught in the crossfire attempting to protect the vessel it would not be a great loss, but the scrutiny will be that much more intense."

"Understood, Danzo-sama," Sai replies with a slight bow.

Hai," Sakura adds with a nod.

"Good. Sai you are dismissed."

Danzo waits until Sai leaves before handing Sakura an envelope.

"I have another kill for you. They will be checking into the hospital next week for a procedure. Our client is willing to pay extra if you cause excruciating pain. Just make certain there is no connection to you."

Sakura smiles sweetly. "No problem. This is what I live for and why I continue working for you."

* * *

After his capture, Sasuke spends at least two weeks in the hospital and another week as Ibiki's 'guest.' The information he provides proves quite lucrative and Tsunade makes his probation official. Right before Ibiki releases him, she made a village wide announcement confirming his return. Sasuke argued against it, but she insists, explaining unless he plans on living under a henge, there is no way he can move around without being recognized. Regardless of his belief in the village's guilt, he needs to face the consequences of his actions with the people who cherished and supported him after his family died. It's appropriate with his punishment.

The day he walks out of the T&I building, he starts having a pretty good idea of what Naruto endured growing up. He wasn't an idiot; he noticed how people treated her when they were children. He just didn't care. He couldn't help but think about her treatment while trying to ignore the jeers and catcalls. Some villagers merely point while whispering behind their hands as he passes by. A couple did attempt to attack him, but are arrested by ANBU before they can reach him.

Naruto wanted to escort him home when he was released, but Tsunade refused, sending her on a courier mission to the capital with Kakashi. She explained to the fuming redhead that Sasuke made the decision to go off alone for vengeance and needs to return alone to truly understand how things have changed.

It is surreal for Sasuke to step back into his family home for the first time in years. He's surprised at how clean it is, but understands once he finds the note from Naruto on the kitchen table. She got help cleaning the place up from Ino, Lee, Sakura and Sai. She also restocked his kitchen with enough food for a couple of weeks to give things a chance to cool down in the village before he has to go shopping. Reading the note, Sasuke shakes his head, wondering if he will ever figure out the dobe.

Sasuke is even more surprised when Danzo visits the following day. The older man appears on his doorstep early in the morning, but he doesn't bother inviting the councilman in.

Unperturbed, Danzo merely forces his way inside, welcoming him back into the village. Sasuke's only answer is a murderous glare at the blatant intrusion.

Danzo studies him for a few minutes, allowing the silence to stretch out before speaking. "I understand why you had to do what you did. You are of a forgotten mindset when a warrior's duty included vengeance."

Surprise briefly flits across Sasuke's face before he masks it again. "What if that duty clashes with the will of the village?" he asks, curious about what Danzo wants.

"Ninja villages are a recent development in our long history. Although we lost a valuable warrior when you left, it would have been unreasonable to expect you to concentrate on your duties when you had such an important blood oath to fulfill. I am certain anyone else would have done much worse against the village in your stead."

Sasuke eyes Danzo with interest, but doesn't reply.

"Tsunade was a good choice for Godaime Hokage, but she clings too tightly to her grandfather's pacifist teachings. She could not understand the importance of allowing you the leeway necessary to accomplish what you needed to. It has been a long time since she fought in the Third Great Shinobi War, so she does not remember what a warrior's duty means at times." Pausing, Danzo cocks his head in thought before continuing. "Although, I admit at the time it might have been due to her being newly inducted into the position of Hokage. It took her time to get used to the position and not be so heavy handed. For what it is worth, if you need any assistance until you are able to readjust to the village, do not hesitate to ask. I apologize for intruding on your time."

Danzo bows slightly to Sasuke before leaving him alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Tsunade counts Sasuke's time in the hospital and with Ibiki toward his probation, so he only has a little over five months left to serve. When Kakashi and Naruto return from their mission two days after his release, they immediately start working together on the investigation into the Uchiha massacre.

They quickly develop a comfortable routine, meeting at Sasuke's home almost every day after lunch to go over clues and staying for dinner. Sometimes, though, Naruto, Kakashi, or both can't make it because of their schedules. Tsunade tries keeping them clear of missions, but the need is too great. She does try assigning them shorter missions to minimize the disruption.

It isn't long before Sakura starts stopping by to visit whenever she gets the chance. Once they settle into their routine, Naruto encourages the pink haired woman to come around.

At first, Sasuke is leery of her, thinking she'll start blindly chasing him again. He relaxes when it turns out she recently started dating Manabe Ritsu, a chuunin working in the Mission Room. The ease and affection in her voice when she talks about Ritsu mutes his hesitation to the point where he grows less cold toward her. Other than the occasional visit, her schedule is too hectic to allow much time off, so she's unable to assist them in any way.

Within days of Danzo's visit, Sasuke has another interesting conversation, this time with Kakashi. He knew he wouldn't be welcomed back by everyone with open arms when he surrendered to Naruto. He didn't care as long as he was given the chance to find the truth about the massacre.

Although there isn't any antagonism, neither said much to the other unless it's related to the investigation. Nothing changes until one afternoon when Naruto and Kakashi arrive with the ingredients for dinner and she realizes the cashier at the market left the chicken out by mistake. Grumbling and muttering curses, she asks them to put the things away while she runs back to get the chicken.

The two men quietly put the groceries away until Kakashi finally speaks. "You haven't been very talkative about anything unrelated to the investigation, Sasuke."

Pausing long enough to glance over his shoulder at the silver haired man, Sasuke sees him leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, watching him. Shrugging, he turns back to the cabinet.

"Not much to say. Unless you're expecting me to say 'sorry for leaving,' which I'm not."

"No, I don't suppose you ever will be sorry about that. You were determined to walk that path no matter who got in your way."

Sasuke's back stiffens as he gently closes the cabinet door before turning around. "I only stepped on those who tried stopping me."

"That makes sense," Kakashi shrugs. "What doesn't make sense is how that justifies you trying to kill those who cared enough to try stopping you from making a mistake with a move created to protect those who matter to you."

"I warned Naruto not to interfere and back off," Sasuke growls. "I was clear in what I intended to do."

"And that justified driving a chidori through her chest? Or are you going to claim you were trying to help her start a new fashion trend?" Kakashi asks mildly.

"She should've quit when I told her," Sasuke mumbles, looking away.

Kakashi gives the dark haired man a flat look. "And you honestly expected her to listen?" When Sasuke doesn't answer, he sighs heavily. "Are you surprised she never really gave up on you?"

"Seven years should've clued her in I wasn't planning on ever returning!" Sasuke snaps, glaring hard at the jounin.

"Maybe," he shrugs again. "The last couple of years she said she wasn't expecting you to return anymore, but apparently this last battle changed her mind. I personally don't think it ever changed to begin with, just her hope was renewed."

"She shouldn't have wasted the energy," Sasuke mutters, looking away again.

Kakashi chuckles, causing Sasuke to look back and arch a brow. "You know, Naruto, she's got plenty of energy to focus on whatever she wants. She'd never see it as a wasted effort."

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "True."

Sobering again, Kakashi scrutinizes the younger man. "I'm glad you decided to surrender, even if it's only to find out what happened to your clan. Naruto believes in you and I'm willing to help her and give you another chance. When I taught you the Chidori, it wasn't to wreak vengeance or further your goals. I just want you to know I don't appreciate it being used like that."

Sasuke holds Kakashi's intense gaze, thinking about what he said. "I still think I had to leave to avenge my clan, but I acknowledge I could've handled things differently."

"You're lucky you have someone like Naruto willing to fight for you because you were close to losing everything by your actions. Whether you want to admit it or not, you need friends, not power."

Naruto chooses that moment to come barging into the kitchen. "I come bearing chicken!"

Kakashi smiles at her. "Did the grocer give you a hard time?"

"Nah, didn't expect the old lady to either. I just wasn't looking forward to the old bat lecturing me on being absent minded."

Naruto unwraps the breasts from the butcher paper and washes them before placing them in a casserole dish.

"You were the one who forgot the chicken," Sasuke points out.

"Actually, the cagey old bat deliberately didn't put it in the bag so I'd come back and she could lecture me," she explains, reaching into the fridge to grab the miso marinade she prepared the day before.

"Lecture you?" Kakashi asks, cocking his head slightly in interest.

Naruto rolls her eyes as she takes the plastic wrap off the bowl and pours the sauce over the chicken. "Yeah, about picking better company because Sasuke's bad rep is just gonna to sully my good one. Which is really funny because she used to chase me out of her store when I was a kid saying people weren't going to shop there because I sullied the place," she snorts.

"What did you tell her?" Kakashi watches Sasuke out of the corner of his eye. His face is inscrutable, but he can tell the Uchiha is hanging on every word.

"I just said it was the other way around. My winning personality is guaranteed to overwhelm any rightfully sane person within a hundred kilometer radius." Naruto glances up and smiles at the two men as she uses a pair of tongs to move the chicken in the sauce until they were coated. "Old bat nearly peed her pants laughing so hard before she agreed. Don't think you'll have as much trouble shopping there anymore, teme."

"Gee, thanks," Sasuke mutters, rolling his eyes, but Kakashi thinks his smirk looked more like a smile than it usually did.

* * *

Despite his reluctance, Naruto keeps her word and constantly badgers Sasuke into becoming more sociable. She starts by forcing him to go with her to her training sessions with Ino and Lee.

"You've got to start preparing for the chuunin exams, teme!"

She shows up bright and early, banging on his front door, ignoring the fact he had been comfortably asleep, if his yukata and disheveled appearance are anything to go by.

"It should be easy since I'm at least jounin level right now," he grumbles irritably. "I don't need to train."

Naruto smacks him upside the head, something she has never done before and starts scolding him as he blinks in shock. "You're gonna get fat and lazy! Being a strong shinobi isn't just how good your talents are! It's about how well you can use your skills to compliment and work with the skills of your comrades. A talented shinobi may appear once in a blue moon, but what about the rest of the time? It's important we can work together, increasing our strength and making the village stronger."

"I don't need a team, dobe." He narrows his eyes at her, rubbing the spot she smacked.

Naruto's expression becomes serious. "That's what got you in trouble in the first place and it cost you everything. You gained nothing from vengeance 'cause Itachi may be innocent, so you really didn't avenge your clan did you? You only found more questions. You're not as strong as you think you are and until you realize that, you're not gonna improve."

Ignoring his angry glare, Naruto smiles cheerfully. "So c'mon! Or I'm gonna drag you out to the training field in your jammies!"

Deciding to just go with it for now instead of seeing if she could make good on her threat, Sasuke sighs in resignation and lets her in. After he changes, she sits with him while he eats a quick breakfast. Naruto then leads him to one of the ANBU training fields to meet up with Ino and Lee who greet him warmly.

Sasuke scrutinizes Ino, who hasn't changed much since he last saw her. "If you're going to start acting like a fan girl again, let me save you the trouble. I'm still not interested."

Arching a brow, Ino looks him up and down before asking, "Why would you think that? I grew up a long time ago and have no interest in you anymore. Besides, my husband Gai wouldn't be too happy if I renew silly, pointless crushes on uninteresting, _**moody**_ people."

"You're married to Gai?" Sasuke asks in stunned disbelief. "Bowl cut, green wearing and huge ass eyebrows _Gai_?"

The idea she is married to the taijutsu master bothers him far more than the fact she just insulted him and no longer lusts after him.

"Absolutely! I realized a pretty face doesn't always equal intelligence." She arches a brow at Sasuke before continuing. "Gai is far more intelligent than people give him credit for and he's got a good heart and is the perfect gentleman. Not to mention he's great in bed."

Sasuke and Lee blanch simultaneously. Lee adores Gai, but even he doesn't want to hear about _that_.

Naruto cringes in disgust. "Waaaay too much info, Ino. You're over-sharing again."

Ino grins mischievously as Lee turns to Sasuke. "Would you like to spar, Sasuke-san?"

Deciding sparring is better than hearing more about Ino's love life, Sasuke nods. "Do you want to restrict it to taijutsu?" he asks, remembering something about Lee not being able to use ninjutsu.

"No, anything goes," Lee replies eagerly.

Shrugging again, Sasuke walks out to face Lee in the clearing. Sliding into his ready stance, he figures he'll get a good taijutsu workout from this spar at least. Most of his recent battles and spars have been ninjutsu, so it's good to be able to practice his taijutsu against a worthy opponent.

Both stand still, sizing each other up before Lee disappears from view. Sasuke isn't surprised and activates his Sharingan to track him. Twisting around slightly, he promptly brings his hands and one leg up to block the kick Lee aims for his left flank. Recoiling slightly from the blow, Sasuke grabs Lee's leg, quickly twisting forward again, using the momentum to throw Lee away.

Rolling with the movement, Lee springs to his feet and disappears again. Sasuke flips out of the way of another well-aimed kick before blocking a series of fast and furious blows.

Smirking, Sasuke decides it's time to kick it up a notch. Clearly Lee has gotten considerably better from their first matchup at the chuunin exam years ago. Besides, he did say anything goes. He's curious to see how the older man fares against his ninjutsu. Not wanting the match to end quickly, he throws out a barrage of Chidori Senbon mixed with regular shuriken.

With blurring speed Lee whips out a pair of nunchuks. Gripping one he spins the other so fast it easily deflects the attack. Seeing Sasuke's confusion, he pauses long enough to hold them higher and state, "They're wood, with rubber wraps and a non-conductive chain linking them."

Shaking his head, Sasuke figures the defense is effective due more to the speed of the spinning nunchuks, otherwise the senbon alone should've shattered the wood on contact. Lee doesn't give him much time for his musings before attacking again with the Leaf Whirlwind. Fooled by the high kick, Sasuke isn't able to block the low kick, sending him skidding on his back across the clearing.

Growling slightly in annoyance, Sasuke regains his feet, immediately going on the offensive. In quick succession he fires off a bombardment of Chidori Senbon and a Phoenix Immortal Fire jutsu, to maneuver Lee into a position where he could use his Chidori Current at close range. He is stunned when Lee is caught by the attack and poofs out of existence.

Suddenly a fissure opens up in the ground behind Sasuke, heading straight for him and forcing him to somersault out of danger. Instantly, Lee is on him again, nailing him in the gut with a Strong Fist punch that sends him flying across the clearing again. He painfully collides with the trunk of a tree before crashing onto the ground in a shapeless heap.

Dazed, Sasuke barely feels Naruto and Ino untangling his body so Ino can start checking him over.

"Is Sasuke-san alright?" Sasuke hears Lee ask in concern.

"You banged him up pretty good, but not enough to send him back to the hospital," Ino replies cheerfully.

"Good thing you held back, Lee. I wasn't looking forward to explaining this to Baa-chan," Naruto replies, the amusement clear in her voice.

Blinking a few times, Sasuke blearily focuses somewhat on Lee. "Held back? I thought I got blindsided by a herd of elephants."

Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, Lee sheepishly replies, "Sorry about that, Sasuke-san. I realized I needed to restrain myself a little, but did not hold back enough."

"I'm not sure I want to feel what it's like when you go all out," Sasuke mutters, wincing when Ino presses his stomach.

"You don't," the two women reply in amused unison.

Sasuke shakes his head in disbelief before another thought occurs to him.

"I remember something about you not being able to mold chakra. It's why you couldn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu. But you just used a Shadow Clone. How in the hell did you do that?"

"Ah, that's what you can call a happy accident born of tragedy, Sasuke-san," Lee grins, before explaining. "Not long before I tested for jounin I was seriously injured on a 'B' rank mission that quickly turned into an 'A' rank. Unfortunately, my two teammates died, but I survived due to sheer determination. I barely made it back to the village, where Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san fought valiantly to save me. During their efforts they infused me with so much chakra it altered my chakra network. They don't even understand how it happened, but now I can perform genjutsu and ninjutsu. I discovered the results when I resumed training. Although, like Gai-sensei, I still prefer taijutsu."

"If you can perform ninjutsu and genjutsu, then why not use them?" Sasuke asks, confused.

"I only trained to use a couple of jutsu to compliment my existing abilities, Sasuke-san. I've seen numerous occasions where Naruto uses her shadow clones with great effectiveness. I've also watched Sakura-san release chakra into her blows, making them even more powerful. So I concentrated on learning those techniques. It's taken years because it takes a lot of chakra to make Shadow Clones and it requires fine control to gather chakra and release it instantly into a blow. However, the benefits are I am able to buy more time during battle by using Shadow Clones as a distraction. Also, my blows are even more devastating and I rely less on opening the inner gates, reducing the amount of damage I do to myself and staying in the battle longer," Lee explains.

"Resulting in you getting your ass handed to you, teme. _Again,_" Naruto chirps with a grin.

"Hm," Sasuke replies, throwing a glare at the redhead. "Guess I'm joining you guys for training, huh?"

"Anytime, Sasuke-san," Lee grins, while Ino nods and Naruto looks on happily.

* * *

Naruto drags Sasuke out as promised to the next dinner with the rest of the Rookies. Nearly everyone is present, including their significant others. It makes for a large group in the restaurant that night. Sakura and her boyfriend Ritsu are the only exceptions, as both are unable to make it.

Not surprisingly, the atmosphere is tense and awkward when they first show up. After exchanging stilted greetings the group sits in silence before Neji speaks up first.

"We all were present when the Godaime announced you surrendered and would be rejoining village after serving your punishment. I can honestly say I did not take it as good news. However, it is not my place to question our Hokage's decision. Naruto asked us if she could start bringing you to our dinners. I did not agree with everyone else to allow it because I've forgiven you. I haven't. You left without any consideration of your sworn oath to the village or any concern for the comrades injured in your wake. I agreed because it was enough for me that Naruto still believes in you and is willing to give you a second chance. Because of that, so am I."

Sasuke eyes the Hyuga prodigy before speaking. "I believed it was the right choice for me at the time."

The others at the table exchange looks or glare back until Shikamaru takes his turn. "Then why didn't you leave right after Itachi killed your clan? Why wait seven years?"

At Sasuke's confused expression he continues.

"If you felt vengeance was your only option, then why wait when you could've easily found someone out in the world to train you? Had you left earlier, others wouldn't have been injured in the attempt to bring you back. Those were our orders and we were doing our duty. You can look at it another way, the training you took advantage of was geared for the protection and service of the village, not toward your selfish goals. You may feel justified in your actions, but do you feel justified in stealing? Because that's in essence what you did."

Choji surprises everyone by slamming his fist on the table as he stands up, glaring heatedly at Sasuke. "You make it sound like what you did was honorable. How are you honorable when you basically spit in the face of the village after taking shameless advantage of the opportunities that were presented to you? The same village your clan thrived in. Or are you going to say it was floundering when it was larger than the Hyugas?"

Kiba stands up and rests his hand on Choji's shoulder before taking his turn. "It was a hard, bitter pill to swallow when you left. We weren't friends, but we _**were**_ comrades. That should've meant something to you. I don't know why you decided to return and don't really care. You complying with the terms of your probation and punishment tells me you're serious about being here. Like Neji, it's enough for me that Naruto believes in you and is willing to give you a second chance. If you're truly serious about staying, you're gonna have to earn back everyone's trust and I can tell you right now it won't be easy. You don't deserve to have it easy."

Everyone settles back in their seats, watching Sasuke. Finally he looks everyone in the eye. "I'm not asking you to trust me or to forgive me. I didn't expect anyone to welcome me with open arms. I have my reasons for coming back and honestly don't know if I'll stay. That's in the future and I'm busy with the present. There are a lot of questions I have to find answers for. All I can tell you is I'm just taking things one day at a time."

"It's a start," Hinata states quietly after a few minutes of silence. "All we can do is continue from here. I'm glad you are willing to listen those who were on your original retrieval team, even if it isn't what you wanted to hear. They have the right to be the angriest with you. If you are willing to try, so are we."

Everyone nods while Naruto smiles softly. Soon they start talking, catching up with each other before moving on to discussing deeper topics like politics. Naruto stubbornly refuses to let Sasuke sit quietly without contributing. She deliberately asks him questions, refusing to allow anyone else to continue the conversation until he says something besides monosyllables. Ino, Gai, Hanabi, Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi are the first ones to get into the act by helping stall things until Sasuke replies, or by asking him additional questions.

After the dinner where Naruto revealed her plans to reintegrate Sasuke into their social circle, Shino had informed his girlfriend of a year, Hanabi, of the details. When Shino expressed doubt in the tactic, Hanabi reassured him it was worth the effort if Naruto believes it. Shino grudgingly acquiesced, knowing Hanabi would gleefully give him hell if he didn't go along with it.

Of course, Konohamaru and his two sidekicks supported Naruto's efforts without question. Gai believed her efforts to reform Sasuke are commendable and very youthful. He told Ino that Naruto is a fine example of the Will of Fire. Neji told his longtime girlfriend, Inuzuka Hana, about Sasuke joining them in their monthly dinners. She immediately understood what Naruto was trying to do and agreed it was a great idea. She explained to a surprised Neji that Sasuke can't be allowed to brood in a corner alone, dwelling on the very things that drove him from Konoha in the first place.

The entire group remains silent, watching Sasuke until he caves and participates regardless of how long the silence stretches out. The tactic proves effective because by the end of the night of their next group dinner they didn't have to bully him into participating anymore. Reluctantly he admits, to himself at least, the conversations are interesting regardless of the topic.

* * *

When not working on the investigation or training, Sasuke spends much of his spare time thinking. The past couple of months have opened his eyes considerably. Reluctantly, he's come to accept they may never uncover the truth about his clan, or he may not like what they do discover. Regardless of the outcome, he realizes he needs to start thinking of the future. Another old promise he has yet to fulfill begins dominating his thoughts; reestablishing his clan.

Thanks to her constant presence and efforts to help him grow stronger, not just in skill, but as an individual, Sasuke starts viewing Naruto in a new light. It didn't take long to recognize she possesses all the qualities to make him an ideal wife. She's not a fangirl, doesn't care about his family name, doesn't care about his money, never has been intimidated by him and doesn't take his crap. He's attracted to her and doesn't care she's the demon container. That proves she's strong and he has always respected strength. Sasuke understands she had to be strong to deal with being a jinchuriki and cope with the ire of the villagers for so long. He doubts even he could've handled that.

His emerging feelings conflict him because he doesn't know what he'll do if it turns out the village is responsible for his clan's massacre. He hopes that isn't the case. He likes the idea of making Naruto his wife more and more. However, that can't be his focus right now. If there is any chance of having a future together, he has to prove himself to her and discover what happened to his clan. Otherwise that will remain a dark cloud hanging overhead waiting to burst again.

* * *

The first couple of months following Sasuke's return prove to be the busiest Naruto had been in a long time. She hasn't seen her boyfriend Genma since before Sasuke returned, but dismisses it as the result of both being too busy. So she is really pleased to run into him on the street one day, walking with Raido.

Greeting them both warmly, she attempts to hug Genma, who throws his hands up, stopping the movement.

"How come you didn't tell me about losing your apartment?" he scolds, glaring hard at her. "I have to hear it from someone else and find out later you moved in with Kakashi and not me."

Raido's smile drops as he turns to Genma, his face morphing into a disbelieving scowl.

Stunned, Naruto blinks in confusion before crossing her arms and glaring back in annoyance. "That's one hell of a way to greet your girlfriend, Genma," she bites out sarcastically. "As for telling you about my apartment, what rock were you hiding under? Everyone's been gossiping about that just as much as Sasuke returning. In case you forgot, you were gone on a mission with Raido that week. I tried looking for you when you were supposed to get back, but couldn't find you. You've repeatedly said if I can't find you after so many tries, give it up and you'll come looking for me."

Arching a brow and cocking her head slightly she continues, "Well, it's been nearly two months and clearly you know I moved in with Kakashi. So it wasn't like you didn't know where to look, did you Genma?"

Placing her hands on her hips Naruto watches Genma shift uncomfortably, unable to answer. Rolling her eyes she sighs heavily in exasperation.

"As for moving in with Kakashi, it was sweet of him to take me in. And how the hell was I to know you'd want me to move in with you? For all I know, you would've said I was trying to crowd you or I was just being clingy and needy, which you've told me many, _**many**_ times you _**hate**_ for anyone to do. I don't know how long it'll be before I can get my own place, so it wouldn't have been long before you started saying that."

Genma studies the ground intensely, refusing to meet her gaze.

Finally she adds, "If our relationship, if you can call it that, is too much of a problem, tell me and we can save ourselves the trouble."

Snapping his head up in surprise, Genma studies her, realizing how serious she is. "No, it's not a problem. I'm sorry for being such an ass. My mission took longer than expected, but I should've come around sooner to check on you. I was worried then got upset at all the changes that happened without my knowing it. It's embarrassing when you don't know your own girlfriend moved," he smiles ruefully before adding, "I'm glad you're all right."

"Are you really, Genma?" Naruto eyes him carefully. "'Cause I'm not joking. You seem to think I'm nothing but a whiner and a nag who's trying to control your life 24/7. I've never done that and you know it, but I'm tired of wondering if the next thing I say is gonna have you jumping down my throat. I don't have the time to be screwing around with these stupid games."

"I don't want to give up on us yet, but it sounds like we need to talk," Genma states, reaching for her waist to pull her closer.

Arching a brow Naruto asks, "Do you think talking's going to help?"

"It might," he shrugs, holding her close. "Or might not, but I don't want to give up without at least trying. Tomorrow night why don't you go with me to shoot some pool with the guys and afterward we'll stop by my place and talk for a change. Then we can go from there."

Looking up, she scrutinizes his face before nodding. "Alright, but we better talk."

"We will," Genma promises before sweeping in for a passionate kiss. After a minute he releases her. "I've got to go. I'll pick you up around six."

Blushing slightly, Naruto nods before breaking out into a bright grin. "Alright, see you then. See you later Raido!" she waves before heading off.

"See you, Naruto," he calls back. As they walk off in another direction, Raido frowns at his friend before speaking. "Why did you lie to Naruto? We got back on time from that mission."

"I didn't want to upset her. Besides, I don't think she tried very hard to find me," Genma shrugs indifferently.

Raido stares at his friend in disbelief before shaking his head and muttering, "You just never learn."

* * *

As the months roll by, Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke realize nothing is what it seems. Nothing concrete has surfaced to point them in the right direction. However, one thing is clear: the circumstances surrounding the massacre are more complicated than they appear and there has definitely been a cover up. They find several clues that make it appear as though the Uchiha were plotting a coup, but they fall apart upon closer scrutiny.

Another thing that becomes apparent soon after they start is they aren't the only ones involved in the investigation of the Uchiha massacre. Certain documents keep turning up missing when they'd go looking for them. It happens too often for it to be a coincidence. Clearly someone is actively hindering their progress.

While Kakashi and Sasuke scour any reports regarding known enemies of the Uchiha, Naruto takes a different approach. Ibiki once told her it doesn't matter if it's an investigation of a non-profit charity, always follow the money because everything is tied to money and it's the most difficult trail to hide. She spends most of her time digging through old bookkeeping scrolls in the Hokage Tower. Carefully she traces expenditure payments made between the village and other clans to the Uchihas, no matter how insignificant.

An odd payment made from the general funds controlled by the council for 'Building Expenses' catches her eye. When she looks up the document required of the Uchihas to list exactly what the funds were spent on, she can't find it. It's obvious it was supposed to be in one file drawer, but it is gone when she checks.

At their next meeting, she mentions it to Kakashi and Sasuke as soon as they all settle in the living room.

"That's strange," Sasuke mutters.

He drifts off, lost in thought for several minutes before finally noticing Naruto and Kakashi are looking at him expectantly. Slightly embarrassed, he shares his thoughts.

"We were pretty self-sufficient. Unless there was a major catastrophe that destroyed half the compound, for example, we were more than capable of handling any expense. And nothing like that has happened in years. The district was unscathed during the Kyuubi attack." Pausing, another thought occurs to him. "Naruto, is there a date assigned to the entry?"

She pulls out the file and scans it. "It's dated two years prior to the massacre."

Sasuke nods. "I'm pretty sure we weren't hurting for funds at that time. If I remember right, I think father was planning on renovating some of the older buildings in the district. I doubt the council would've given us money for that because that wouldn't have benefited the village."

"A lot of weapons could be purchased for that amount of money, though," Kakashi suggests thoughtfully.

Sasuke bristles, glaring daggers at him.

Noticing the look Naruto snaps, "We haven't proved the Uchiha are innocent of any wrongdoing. But this doesn't disprove it either. Kakashi makes a valid point. It's a fishy entry and that kind of money could buy a lot of weapons. Now the question remains, for who?"

Taking a deep breath Sasuke nods. "Alright, good point. It's still weird the council would turn over funds like that to us. I remember neither faction was getting along, so father wouldn't have requested the funds because the council wouldn't have given him the time of day. He hardly went to the council meetings anymore because of the tension."

"There were a lot of rumors floating around of heated infighting among the council members," Kakashi muses. "It's possible this entry was a way to pin it on the Uchiha while the funds were diverted elsewhere. It's also looking less like the Third knew anything about it because a receipt would've been made easy to discover, supporting the suspicion of a coup."

"Yeah," Naruto agrees picking up his line of thought. "If the old man knew, there shouldn't have been a need for Itachi to take the blame in the first place. It would've been much easier to plant or generate the proof necessary to justify the massacre. It would've also sent a clear message to all the clans, don't follow the Uchihas lead."

Leaning back in his armchair Sasuke thinks about it. "Either way, it's looking like someone is trying very hard to mislead us."


	4. The Return: Chapter 4

Life back in Konoha resumes fairly easily for Sasuke, settling into a routine mostly consisting of training and reading yellowed, musty smelling documents. He keeps mostly to himself, spending most of his time at the Uchiha compound.

That is, whenever Naruto isn't dragging him out to socialize against his will.

Didn't matter if it's to do some shopping, even if she hates doing it herself with a passion, wherever people are congregating she dragged him there. Often she has another cohort, like Ino, accompany them to not only make sure he doesn't try sneaking away at the first opportunity, but to act as a shield if the glares grow too heated or the mutterings too loud. Naruto berated the shopkeepers who tried raising the prices on him, shaming them for their childish behavior and reminding them Tsunade announced he surrendered and is complying with his punishment. She convinced some people to start behaving more courteously toward him, even if it still can't be described as friendly.

About two months before the chuunin exams Sasuke receives an unexpected summons late one afternoon to the Hokage's office. He is in the middle of digging through another dusty file box with Kakashi and Naruto when the ANBU shows up on his doorstep. The ANBU reports a member of the Akatsuki was found mortally wounded by a patrol near the village. Tsunade-sama wants him to come and identify her and learn her purpose. She is refusing to cooperate and they'd like to discover why she was within their borders before she dies.

Sasuke agrees and follows the ANBU with Naruto and Kakashi trailing behind, having invited themselves along. Tsunade isn't surprised to see those two tagging along. She knew they were with Sasuke and would come and it's why she didn't specifically order that she only wanted Sasuke. She also knew the Akatsuki member's appearance matches physical descriptions given by Kakashi and Naruto in their reports of past encounters with Sasuke. She feels they can at least help confirm her identity.

Tsunade quickly explains to them that the prisoner was found grievously wounded about ten kilometers outside of Konoha. She refuses to identify herself and declare her purpose. She lost a lot of blood and her heart is failing fast. She is not expected to survive the night.

Tsunade then leads the trio into the same hospital room Sasuke stayed in months ago. The Akatsuki member lay on the bed, her red hair and eyes standing out against her pale, bruised skin and the stark white of the room. Her upper torso is covered only in bandages tinged with patches of red seeping through and a white sheet covers her from the waist down. Ibiki stands off to the side, quietly observing the prisoner as her face lights up at the sight of Sasuke.

"You're alive!" she cries overjoyed, forgetting everyone else in the room. "When you didn't return from your mission I thought you were killed until we heard rumors you were still alive! The rest thought you defected, but I didn't believe it for a minute. I was certain they caught you or you would've returned."

Sasuke calmly studies the redhead before replying, "No, Karin. I chose not to return to the Akatsuki."

"What? Why?" Karin asks in shocked confusion.

"I no longer share the same goals as them," he states simply.

Karin stares at him in disbelief, a couple of tears racing down her cheeks. "When you left, Team Hawk paid dearly. Suigetsu and Jugo were immediately executed. I sensed them coming and escaped as they were killed. I thought Konoha had captured you and I came to free you, but the Akatsuki caught up to me."

Overcome, Karin cries quietly for a few minutes, squeezing her eyes and clutching her chest in pain. Her heart monitor beeps as the reading becomes more erratic. Taking a couple of deep breaths she looks up at him again.

"Why did you leave us behind? We would've gone with you."

Sasuke shrugs. "It wasn't planned, it just happened."

Grunting in pain as her breathing become shallow and rapid, Karin forces out the words. "We would've followed you into hell, but I'm glad you're at least alive and well."

With one long gasp, Karin arches off the bed before suddenly relaxing as the line on the monitor goes flat. Her open eyes staring at nothing and her cheeks streaked with her last tears as she died. Tsunade marks the time of death before turning to Sasuke and thanking him for coming. With that dismissal Sasuke calmly leaves with Kakashi and Naruto trailing behind.

"Karin was your teammate, wasn't she?" Naruto quietly asks as they step out into the warm night.

"No, she was my subordinate."

The silence stretches out before Naruto speaks again. "Aren't you saddened by her death?"

"No," he answers without hesitation. "She knew the risks of joining the Akatsuki, they all did. Death was their obvious end."

Naruto halts dead in her tracks. Kakashi stops immediately as Sasuke walks a couple more steps before turning in annoyance to see Naruto glaring angrily at him.

"Karin obviously thought she was more than a subordinate; she cared for you," Naruto states, stepping closer to Sasuke. "And even if she only saw you as a teammate, she was willing to follow you without question. Apparently, so would the others. Karin could've easily gone into hiding from the Akatsuki, but chose to try and free you. You needed them or you wouldn't have formed the team in the first place, so how could you so callously throw them aside?"

"They were helpful, but meant nothing more than that and they knew it."

Sasuke didn't even see her hand coming, but definitely knew she slapped him judging from the sharp sting against his left cheek and the fact his head snapped painfully to the right.

"They were willing to give their lives to you, to protect you!" Naruto shouts, getting in his face. "If that means nothing, then no wonder you got seduced by Orochimaru! You didn't gain power because the old snake held back to keep you from becoming strong enough to resist him; he was basically fattening you like a lamb for slaughter!"

"I did gain strength!" Sasuke snaps, taking a step back.

Naruto laughs. "No you didn't. You gained nothing! You don't have the curse mark he gave you anymore. Yeah, you can summon snakes and hawks, whoop dee doo. I can summon frogs and Kakashi can summon dogs, but they're more aids than anything. You developed just about all your jutsu. And you went to gain power to defeat Itachi, who may have been innocent!" she cries throwing her arms in the air. "So, if you gained strength from vengeance, and vengeance doesn't exist for you anymore, what do you have left? And if you want to restart your clan, what's to say you won't abandon your family when things start getting rough, like you did your team? How can you claim any sort of pride when you willingly dishonor yourself by abandoning your team and village?"

"That's just how it is with warriors," Sasuke seethes.

"Bullshit!" she snarls. "But if you're gonna be like that, there's no way in hell you're gonna pass the chuunin exam. It also makes you nothing but trash for abandoning the team. Maybe I'm being stupid for thinking there was some value left in you after all."

Naruto turns and stalks off, leaving Sasuke and Kakashi staring after her.

"She certainly picked up that lesson well," Kakashi mutters before leaving a pissed Sasuke alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Naruto is still fuming about Sasuke by the time she gets home. When she finally settles into her futon for the night, she hears a loud tapping at her window. Annoyed, she gets up and pulls back the curtain. Surprised to see Genma perched on her sill, she opens the window only to regret it when she realizes he's drunk.

"I came to visit you," he slurs happily, climbing inside with a grin.

"Go away. I'm tired and had a bad day," Naruto grumbles, trying to push him back out the window.

"I can make it all better!" Genma declares gleefully, pulling her close and kissing her.

She struggles for a moment before shoving him away. "Did you leave any booze at the bar? You smell like a walking distillery."

Genma laughs and grabs her around the waist just as the bedroom door opens and light flicks on.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asks, sounding bored as he leans against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey Kakashi!" Genma waves cheerfully after Naruto breaks from his hold. "I'm just visiting Naru-chan!"

Naruto grabs him by the shoulder and tries steering him back toward the window. "I'm too tired, you're too drunk. Go home!"

Using his hands and one foot, Genma braces himself on the frame of the window and the wall to keep her from pushing him out.

"There's no way you'll get me out!" he laughingly taunts before suddenly disappearing through the window.

Naruto sticks her head out the window to peer down before turning back to Kakashi, who is now leaning against the wall by the window.

"We should see if he's hurt, we're at least six floors up," she reasons.

"Don't worry about it. Any jounin drunk off their ass can handle that kind of fall."

Closing her eyes briefly Naruto groans. "Shit, he'll be bugging us all night then."

"I'll take care of Genma," he reassures her. "Go make some tea so we can both unwind before turning in."

Arching a brow Naruto eyes him before reluctantly nodding and disappearing from the room.

Kakashi closes the bedroom door and summons Bull. Smiling, he pats the huge dog on the head before straightening up to give his orders. Kakashi suddenly finds himself pinned to the floor while Bull expresses his love by attempting to smother him with doggie kisses. It takes a disgruntled Kakashi a few minutes to maneuver out from under the animal, ordering him to stop while pulling down his now soaking wet mask.

"A friend of mine needs to brush up on his breaking and entering skills. I want to make it as realistic as possible and don't want to make it too easy for him. My friend will be attempting to come in through this widow. Your job is to drive him out by any means necessary. Don't worry about hurting him, he's a jounin and can handle it."

Looking up at Kakashi, Bull's tongue was lolling out of his mouth as his stubby tail wags furiously in happiness. Kakashi knew the dog was happy for the chance to play with one of his friends. Satisfied, he leaves the dog alone, cutting the light before darting into his own bedroom to get a dry mask. He joins Naruto in the kitchen a few minutes later.

"Does this happen a lot?"

"Once in a while," she replies, pouring out the tea for them and handing him a cup. "That's how I know he'll be a pain in the ass all night until he passes out somewhere." She pauses to take a sip. "Last time he got his ass beat by one of my neighbors. The old lady pounded him with a broom, screaming bloody murder when she found him passed out among her potted plants on her balcony the next morning."

Their laughter is interrupted by the sudden growling and barking mixed with screaming and cursing coming from Naruto's room. She looks toward the bedroom in alarm as Kakashi calmly sips his tea.

"Is that one of your ninken in there?"

"Yeah," he replies matter of factly. "Genma shouldn't be bugging anymore tonight. Finish your tea before it gets cold," he encourages, ignoring her narrowed gaze.

When it becomes a glare he sighs wearily. "Genma will be sulky about it for a few days, but shouldn't be any worse for wear. Although, by the sounds of it he may have issues sitting down properly for a couple of days."

Naruto merely shakes her head.

When she finally goes to bed, she finds Bull sound asleep on her futon. She attempts to shove him over a little, but the mammoth dog refused to budge. Kakashi appears in the doorway chuckling when he hears her grunts and cursing.

"You won't get him moving anytime soon. I could dismiss him, but it'd be better to keep him around in case Genma comes back."

Naruto glares at him before glaring down at the dog. Refusing to relinquish her bed, she slides in next to the huge dog, forcing her way in. Bull finally shifts, giving her enough room to squeeze in and both happily sleep the rest of the night together.

* * *

The investigation is on hold because Naruto is too pissed at Sasuke to want to see him for a couple of days. She's not even sure she wants to continue helping the idiot. Kakashi continues working with Sasuke, going over what they already have, as he's not pissed like Naruto is. He does tell Sasuke if he wants to know anything about Naruto, he's to go talk to her. He refuses to tell him anything.

Naruto is sulky and depressed, thinking she was stupid to believe Sasuke cared for any of them since he so easily threw aside his Akatsuki team. She wonders if she's just wasting her time since he left of his own accord the first time. She realizes if this is what he feels about his current team then no wonder he left everything behind so easily back then.

Kakashi doesn't like seeing this broody side of Naruto and lets Iruka know what's going on. Iruka cheers Naruto up somewhat over a bowl of ramen, but the redhead is still down in the dumps.

Not giving up, Kakashi finds a disgruntled Genma, attempting to enlist his help to cheer up his girlfriend. Unfortunately, he is still pissy after Kakashi sicced his dog on him.

"You shouldn't have tried breaking into my apartment again," Kakashi points out reasonably. "It isn't Naruto's fault and you should cheer her up."

Genma glares at him. "I'll try, but I'm busy right now. Besides, she doesn't need me for moral support since it's just some moody, angsty friendship drama with the Uchiha. And considering it involves him, I'm not surprised. I warned her the kid was going to cause trouble, so she has to grow up and deal with it. Naruto is resilient; she'll bounce back in no time."

Annoyed, Kakashi decides to try handling things on his own. He doesn't want to bring any of the Konoha 11 into it because Naruto already said their attitudes are still hesitant and hostile towards Sasuke. He doesn't want to risk them feeding into her negative mood.

Meanwhile, Naruto continues her duties with the Hokage. Tsunade notices something off and tries to pry what's going on out of the redhead, but the younger woman refuses to open up. Tsunade decides she needs a little loosening up and orders the girl to join her at the end of the day for some contraband sake.

Naruto is reluctant because she's not much of a drinker, but Tsunade gives her that 'join me _or else'_ look. Instead of just loosening up Naruto, however, both women end up roaring drunk.

Shizune stands in the doorway two hours after they got started, shaking her head at the pair of hysterically laughing women. Without a word she leaves to summon Kakashi to take his roommate home while she deals with Tsunade.

A few minutes later Shizune meets Kakashi in the deserted Mission Room and advises him Naruto will probably be hung over for the next day or so. She suggests it's probably best she doesn't come in to work. Especially since Tsunade is really cranky when she's hung over and Naruto won't be in any condition to deal with that.

When Kakashi nods she leads him into the office. Both silently observe the raucous pair from the doorway.

"I've got another joke for you, Baa-chan!"

"Oh, wait! I've got a 'redhead' joke for you!" Tsunade declares excitedly.

"A redhead joke? This I gotta hear." Naruto leans back in her chair and crosses her arms.

"What do you call a redhead standing between a blonde and a brunette?" Naruto considers the question before shaking her head. "An interpreter!"

Both double over, laughing hysterically. Kakashi looks over at Shizune who rolls her eyes in exasperation.

"Is that based on actual experience between you three?" he innocently asks.

Shizune glares at him while he chuckles quietly before turning back to watch what the pair would do next.

"Okay, my turn!" Naruto declares; her face flushed from laughing. "Three shinobi are traveling through a distant, uncharted land. One is from Iwa, one from Kiri and the other from Suna."

"Oh, this oughta be good," Tsunade quips.

"Shh, let me finish!" Naruto scolds. "Okay, so as they go from village to village they like to stop in the local bars and ask what the local sights are. In one village the bartender tells them about a nearby bridge. Legend has it if you take a running leap off it and call out your wish it'll come true by the time you land. So the three shinobi thank the bartender and go visit the bridge. When they get there they find it's this really ordinary looking footbridge. Looking at one another they shrug and decide to still give it a try. The Suna nin says 'I want to go first!' So he starts running and leaps off the bridge shouting 'I want to be Water Daiymo!'"

"Water Daiymo?" Tsunade laughs.

"Shut up and let me finish, Baa-chan! He's from Suna and is probably tired of all that sand. Anyways, when the Suna nin lands he's dressed in the Daimyo's robes and surrounded by Kiri ninjas ready to escort him to Mizu no Kuni. He waves at the other two and wishes them luck. Now the Kiri ninja says he wants to go next. So he takes a running leap off the bridge shouting 'I want to be the richest man!' When he lands he finds ryo pouring from his pockets. So he turns to the Iwa nin and waves goodbye, wishing him luck. The Iwa nin didn't know what he wanted. So he sat on a rock and thought about it for a long time. Finally he figures it out. So he stands up, steps back and starts running. Unfortunately, he trips on the rock and shouts 'oh shit!' as he falls over the bridge."

Tsunade and Naruto fall into hysterical, gasping laughter. Shizune looks at Kakashi who nods. It's time to break their little party up. He didn't want to know what other bad jokes the two would start telling next.

"Okay Naruto, time to go home," Kakashi says, walking over and lifting her onto his back.

"Awww, but it's early!" Tsunade protests.

"Time for you to turn in too, Tsunade-sama," Shizune adds, stepping in front of her mentor with her arms akimbo.

Taking advantage of their ensuing argument, Kakashi disappears with Naruto through a window. As he's running across the rooftops, she asks him after a couple of minutes to put her down.

Glancing over his shoulder he replies, "You're not in any condition to make it on your own."

"It'll be better if you do or you'll have puke running down your back."

Kakashi promptly sets her down and holds back her hair as she vomits onto the roof. He duly notes it's been awhile since she has eaten anything. When she's finished, he picks her up again and continues with her chattering all the way home. She tells him about Tsunade and her laughing over how she got past the Third when she stole the sacred scroll right before she became a genin.

"I always wondered how you pulled that off," he muses.

"I used my Sexy no Jutsu on the old man, knocking him flat out. Baa-chan laughed her ass off and said he'd always been a closet perv. Then she wanted to see what it looked like. So I whipped it out and she said with the way I look now it's probably way more effective if I just strip than to use that jutsu." Naruto pauses and then adds, "Probably the next time I need to use it I'll just go naked, uses less chakra."

Kakashi stumbles before regaining his footing.

After they arrive home, he decides to get some fluids in her to stave off dehydration before putting her to bed. Naruto continues rambling while he makes some tea.

"If my father was blonde, how come my hair is red?" she wonders, eyeing a lock of hair between her fingers. "That's if my mother's hair wasn't red. I've never seen a picture of her. Can only go by what my father looks like."

Pausing in his preparations, Kakashi briefly closes his eye and takes a deep breath. Rather than trigger a deep discussion in her current condition, he opens his eye and replies over his shoulder, "Red is a mutation of blonde."

Stunned Naruto blinks at him before laughing uproariously. "That sounds weird! Like I'm a mutant demon!" Calming down somewhat she wonders, "Which is worse, bein' a mutant or a demon? Bein' a mutant is probably better 'cause they're probably smarter than a demon. People would probably like me better if I was a mutant and I would've been a hell of a lot smarter about Sasuke."

Before Kakashi can think of another diversion, Naruto continues.

"It was funny to see Baa-chan try to pry the reason for my moodiness outta me. Even turned it around on the old lady and got some good dirt on her," she declares proudly.

Kakashi laughs as he carries the tea try over to the table and sits down with her.

"What did you discover?"

"Hell no, I ain't telling ya! Go get your own dirt. 'Sides, wasn't hard. Just kept Baa-chan talkin' 'bout herself 'cause I didn' want her to find out about Sasuke. She might feel guilty when she hears how stupid I was, believin' in the idiot. Baa-chan's too much like the old man like that, worryin' and feelin' guilty about things they can't change, like how the villagers treat me," Naruto shrugs. "Tho' things are better than they used to be. That's mostly 'cause a lot of people are too scared of me now. At least they don't try to hurt me like they used to."

"I thought the Third was swift on punishing people who tried to hurt you?" Kakashi asks, surprised.

Naruto shrugs indifferently before picking up her cup. "Mostly worked, but didn' stop the people at the orphanage from tryin' to sneak 'round that. They didn' beat me, but I sometimes got locked in the closet for a couple days, often without food or water, which usually landed me in the hospital. Didn' take long for the Third to get fed up and got me into my own place."

Kakashi shakes his head in disgust at her story.

Noticing she adds, "That wasn't the worst to happen. There was a worse attack when I was four. That's why the Third cracked down really hard on people who tried hurting me. Don' remember much, just a lot of pain. Tried lookin' up the file on the attack when I was digging for stuff on Sasuke's family, but that was missing too." Naruto pauses to sip her tea. "Pretty sure Baa-chan must've known 'bout it and hid it to keep me from seein' it, but I'm not gonna ask. Might upset her, just like the old man was after the attack. I didn' want him to be sad anymore 'cause of me after that. That's why I didn' tell him a lot of things."

"Is that why you pretend to be happy when you're upset? So we won't know what's really going on?"

Naruto tilts her head in consideration before answering. "Probably. Baa-chan guilt trips like the old man. Was better to distract her or she would've really drunk herself under the desk if I told her about Sasuke."

Kakashi scrutinizes her for a moment. "Those who care about you want to know what's going on, regardless of how much it hurts. Your relationship with Genma might improve if you shared your feelings more rather than pretend everything is okay."

"That's totally different situation," Naruto slurs shaking her head. "'Sides, he's not interested in hearin' about my feelings. He's not a bad guy, just really lonely, but 'fraid of commitment."

At Kakashi's confused look she sighs and gives an example. "Got him a pair of funny boxer shorts on our first month anniversary. Whole thing was a joke. Was makin' fun of Ino and how she used to celebrate one-week anniversaries, then one-month anniversaries. An' she wondered why her relationships never made it to the year mark," she muses before continuing. "Anyway, was sure he'd get the joke. He got really upset and accused me of trying to tie him down. Asked if I already had our wedding planned too. He calmed down after I jumped on him for bein' an ass and explained it was a joke to poke fun at Ino, a gag I thought he'd enjoy."

Naruto pauses again to finish off her tea and pour herself some more. "At first I was pissed, but that's when I realized he feared commitment. He's 'fraid to lose those he loves. It's easier to indulge in casual sex and doesn' have so much emotionally invested in the relationship."

At Kakashi's surprised expression she shrugs. "It's pretty obvious. Also why I won't have sex with him. Don't care if I save myself 'til marriage, not that I'll ever marry, but I just don' want to be another casual fling. It's the principle of the matter. He needs to realize it's much nicer to let people in."

"Do you love him?"

Cocking her head in thought she finally says, "No. I care for him and want to see him happy. He doesn' love me either, but maybe I can become his friend an' make him realize what he's doing. It's not an ideal relationship, but I'm not giving up that easily. Did you know he's never broken up with any of his girlfriends? They've all broken up with him."

At Kakashi's arched brow she nods.

"It's true. Either way doesn' bother me as long as he doesn' cheat. And that's one thing no one ever accused him of. 'Sides, if he did, the rest of the Rookies would kill him before I had the chance. And if they didn' Iruka, Anko and Yugao would."

Kakashi chuckles. "Don't forget me."

Naruto smiles before being overcome by a wide yawn.

"Okay, time for you to go beddie bye," Kakashi declares, nudging her to her feet and grabbing her gently by the shoulders to steer her toward her room.

He ends up having to help her change into her sleep clothes when he keeps hearing random thuds and curses drifting through the closed door. Studiously not ogling her lingerie-clad body, he helps her change before settling her into her futon.

Before she lies down, Naruto grabs him around the neck and gives him a chaste kiss on the lips through his mask. "Thanks for takin' care of me 'cause if Genma did it, I don' think he'd be able to control himself and would've gotten what he wanted."

The moment her head hits the pillow she passes out. Kakashi watches her softly snoring form for a minute before rising to his feet to leave and turns out the light.

* * *

"Why hasn't Naruto come in yet?" Tsunade demands irritably.

"Because she's suffering a hangover," Shizune mildly states.

"I've got one too! Why does she get to stay home?" the outraged blonde yells before groaning and clutching her head in pain.

"Because your hangover is self-inflicted; Naruto's was inflicted by you, so you don't get any sympathy whatsoever."

Tsunade glares at her apprentice as she cheerfully hands her a cup of tea.

* * *

Naruto meanwhile ends up spending the next three days dealing with the hangover from hell. At first, Kakashi is tempted to torture her, but takes into consideration the fact she was already miserable before getting drunk and didn't get herself drunk. So he takes pity on her and cares for her.

The first day she barely emerges from her room, looking like death warmed over. He bullies her into coming out and eating the soups he prepared. When she finally realizes how late it is in the day, she groans that Baa-chan is going to kill her. After a brief pause she then admits that doesn't sound too bad after all.

Later that afternoon Iruka shows up bearing food. He brought Yugao, his girlfriend of two years, along with Anko. Iruka heard what happened to Naruto from Shizune and he and Yugao decide to see what they can do to help. Anko ran into them and invited herself along.

Kakashi invites them in and forces Naruto to join them. The others chat as Naruto eats in sulky silence until the conversation turns to hangover remedies.

"It's too bad ramen isn't among them. Makes sense. All that oily, salty mess slopping around in the stomach isn't exactly good against the nausea. Also looks and smells terrible when it makes a return trip," Anko blithely declares, ignoring the green shade Naruto is turning.

Naruto immediately rushes for the bathroom before she even finishes her soup. Kakashi glares at Anko, who tries to look innocent, because Naruto is supposed to be keeping her food down, not throwing it up. After her run to the bathroom, Naruto retires to her room, refusing to come out anymore.

After dinner the four jounin move to living room and start discussing Sasuke until the conversation eventually turns to Genma.

"I'm surprised he's not skulking around trying to take advantage of Naruto," Anko states, expressing her surprise.

"He claims he's too busy. As far as he's concerned she doesn't need him because it's nothing more than some angsty friendship drama," Kakashi explains.

The others gape at him with varying degrees of shock and anger, causing Kakashi to shrug in response.

"Sounds like Genma's due for a wake-up call on how to treat his girlfriend," Anko muses, arching a brow.

"You know Naruto's not going to appreciate that, Anko," Iruka points out reasonably. "She'd rather handle it herself. Besides, how would you like for Naruto to interfere in your love life?"

"She'd be terrified to go there," Kakashi mutters.

Before Anko can retaliate, Yugao adds, "She'd be smart to be scared."

Feeling picked on while Iruka laughs, Anko crosses her arms and pouts. "_Anyways_, Genma's being an idiot and doesn't know when he has it good."

The others nod and continue discussing the situation further before calling it an early night.

* * *

By day two Naruto is doing much better, though she's still suffering from the symptoms of a hangover.

Deciding it's unhealthy to languish indoors, Kakashi drags her out into the middle of the forest in an attempt to ease her suffering.

"The best way to get over a hangover faster is to exercise," Kakashi explains to the surly looking redhead. "The exertion will circulate the alcohol through your system faster. However, instead of sparring, where you might injure yourself, we're just going to have a simple run through the trees."

Naruto's scowl turns into a glare, but he just smiles innocently at her.

"You have no choice because how else will you get home?" With that Kakashi immediately takes off through the trees.

"You son of a…" Naruto growls, immediately giving chase while cussing up a storm. "I'm gonna kill you and feed your remains to your ninken!"

Kakashi laughs as he leads her back to village. "Not at the pace you're going, Naruto-_chan_," he taunts.

Growling she speeds up, misjudging the space between two parallel branches and brains herself as she lands on the lower one. Hearing the impact, Kakashi glances over his shoulder and sees her falling to the ground far below. Rebounding hard off a branch, he twists around and races back just in time to catch her before she hits the forest floor.

Moments later he eases her onto the soft grass in a small clearing nearby to check her out. The blow doesn't knock her out, but it doesn't help her headache either. Gently he examines the bleeding cut, noting it's already swelling before pulling out a first aid kit. Grabbing a compress he holds it against the wound and notices it's not healing as quickly as usual.

"I'm surprised this is still bleeding," he mutters, lifting the compress again and seeing the wound is still oozing.

"Because the fox is hung over too and isn't up to healing right now," Naruto snaps irritably.

"Maybe we ought to get this checked out at the hospital then."

"No way!" At his questioning look she adds, "Chances are good Baa-chan will be there today and wreak some revenge since I haven't showed up for work the last couple days. I'm in enough pain from the hangover and now this."

Kakashi considers it before reluctantly nodding. Positioning her hand to hold the compress in place, he lifts her up and takes her home to treat the injury himself.

* * *

That afternoon Anko surprises Sasuke when she shows up on his doorstep. Still irritable from his fight with Naruto, he is not in the mood to socialize with anyone.

"What do you want?" he demands.

"Well, hello to you too," Anko replies cheerfully as she pushes her way inside.

Sasuke growls, fed up with the fact people keep barging in when they're not invited.

Anko ignores him while making herself comfortable on his sofa. "Just stopped by to check on how you're settling in."

"I'm fine. Now get out."

"Doesn't sound like it," she laughs, propping her feet up on the coffee table. "Coming back after several years of being a missing nin and hanging out with Orochimaru and the Akatsuki isn't going to earn anyone a warm homecoming."

"I don't care. What's it to you?" Sasuke remains standing over Anko with his hands stuffed in his pockets, attempting to make her uncomfortable enough to leave.

"Liar," she grins at his glare before turning serious. "You can try lying to yourself, but you can't lie to me. I know the hardest thing to do is to come home after falling from grace like that."

"How the hell would you know?" he sneers. "You only hung out with Orochimaru because he was your sensei, you didn't go looking for him."

"Like you, I bought into all his crap. Even though I was a tag along, it still didn't stop others from deciding I was just as evil as he was. He wasn't around to take the blame. I was. So I know first hand what it's like to rebuild a life in Konoha, even to earn back people's trust."

Arching a brow, Sasuke scoffs, "I don't care if people accept me or not."

"Maybe," Anko replies seriously, "but it's lonely. I'm not the touchy feely type, but I appreciate what I've got here. It would've been much easier to have just stayed a missing nin and become a thug like the crooks in the Akatsuki, but I had people like the Third who wanted me to stay. If you want to leave again, go ahead. I'm not going to say you should stay, but you won't get any more chances because the next time a Konoha nin encounters you, they will kill you. And you won't have Naruto to back you up like you did this time. You're damn lucky to even have her now."

"Why, because you think she's stronger?" he snorts dismissively.

"She is," Anko states with a short nod. "Naruto is strong in ways you could never be because she rarely wavers in her beliefs and believes in you despite what anyone else says."

Unable to break from her steady gaze, Sasuke can't find the words to retort.

* * *

A couple of days later Kakashi is surprised when Sasuke shows up at the apartment wanting to speak with Naruto. Inviting him inside Kakashi then goes down the hallway and knocks on her door announcing Sasuke wants to see her. Getting no answer, he arches a brow and opens the door, catching Naruto opening her window and preparing to sneak out. She sheepishly smiles and waves while chuckling nervously.

Kakashi eyes her for a moment before speaking. "You should talk to him, even if you don't forgive him. Leaving things unresolved is driving you crazy."

Reluctantly she nods and follows him out into the living room. She settles onto the sofa the furthest away from where Sasuke sits in the armchair. Kakashi grabs his Icha Icha off the arm of the sofa and starts heading for the door when Sasuke stops him.

"Kakashi, stay. This concerns you too."

Studying him for a moment, Kakashi nods and settles on the opposite end of the sofa. Sasuke takes a deep breath before speaking.

"I'd be lying if I said I never felt connected to my teammates, especially on Team 7. For a while that was enough, but then it wasn't anymore. You guys got in my way because I wanted vengeance, but weren't willing to let me go. It wasn't hard convincing myself I didn't need you or the village, but you kept stubbornly fighting for me. It was annoying. But, I know I wouldn't have made it as far as I have without my teammates from Team 7, or my recent team. Right or wrong, I made my choice and stuck with it. I can't just say sorry when I don't think I'm wrong, but you two have given me a lot to think about because nothing is clear-cut anymore. I know I'll have to open up more in order to reestablish my clan, but I can't promise to change my beliefs overnight. If I can even change them at all. I can only promise to consider it and take things one day at time."

The trio sits in silence for several minutes until Naruto breaks it.

"I get you need time to figure things out. What pissed me off was how callous you were. Like your own teammates were insignificant. However, if you really want to stay, even if you're only treating it as a possibility right now, you're gonna have to learn to work and interact well with others. That means tolerating those you dismiss as weak. It's something you've got to get over anyway; just 'cause someone is weak one way doesn't mean they're not strong in another. You need to give others more credit. There's no way you'll get promoted without that."

Sasuke considers her words for a moment before speaking. "I have to work on being less harsh, to be less judgmental of other's limitations. It's hard because I feel no connection with the village. I haven't for a long time since my family died. When that happened I felt truly alone. That's part of the reason why I feel so conflicted. I'm not certain I want to stay."

Naruto stares at him in shock. "How can you feel alone when everyone in the village popped you up on the highest pedestal they could find? You were their prince."

Sasuke shrugs indifferently. "I can't explain it."

"Why did you return then?" She asks annoyed.

"I need to find out what happened to my clan. You're right. I wouldn't have been able to discover the truth unless I came back. I don't have plans to leave, but it depends on the outcome of the investigation. Can you expect me to stay if what Madara said was true?"

Naruto sighs heavily, realizing she has no real argument for that. "No, I guess not."

Sasuke nods. "Right now I plan to stay, otherwise I wouldn't bother complying with my probation or going through the promotion process and returning to work for the village. I haven't had a real home for a long time and know I'll have to lay down roots eventually if I'm going to reestablish my clan. That's why there's so much to think about."

Sasuke pauses to take a deep breath before leaning forward and looking deep into Naruto's eyes.

"Regardless of what you think of my opinions, you need to accept this is how I am right now. However, I do need both Kakashi's and your help if I'm to uncover the truth. I wouldn't have made it this far without you two and would've lost patience a long time ago. I respect you both for putting up with me and going through all this trouble for me."

"I understand," Naruto nods wearily, "even if I don't like it. I'm glad you're being honest and open, something you never did with us before." She pauses as her eyes harden with determination. "I made you a promise, so I'll still help."

Satisfied everything is settled, Sasuke leaves for the night. Naruto remains seated on the sofa, staring off into space. Turning back from the door after seeing Sasuke out, Kakashi watches her for a moment.

"Stop thinking about it because you'll never understand."

Naruto snaps out her reverie to blink at him in surprise before recovering.

"I can't. The village idolized him, treating him like a prince when they treated me like shit, but he willingly turned his back on them? Why?"

"It's just something you'll have to accept without knowing why," Kakashi states as he rejoins her on the sofa.

Naruto eyes him shrewdly for a moment. "You obviously know, so explain it because I really want to understand."

"I know only because I can relate to it," he shrugs.

"That's bullshit, Kakashi," she snaps. "I'm your friend, not your genin student anymore. Back then I had to accept it wasn't any of my business, but now I can't. All I want is to at least understand, even if there's nothing I can do to help change it. I get there are things best left alone. And I know you and Sasuke shared some common ground, so even if I can't claim any of that too, I'd like to at least be able to understand where you guys are coming from."

Kakashi considers her words. "How long have you known who your father was?"

Shaking her head slightly in confusion Naruto replies, "Since Baa-chan told me when I was seventeen. What does that have to do with anything?"

"You can't understand Sasuke's disconnection from the village is because you never had to live in your father's shadow. You weren't treated with the same reverence as Sasuke, but you made a name for yourself without his fame hindering you. Sasuke had to live his entire life under his clan's shadow, by the standards they established and by what people expected from an Uchiha. People weren't concerned with Sasuke the individual; only that he was the sole survivor possessing a powerful Kekkei Genkai. People respected his family name, his status and his bloodline, but wouldn't see any deeper. I can understand because I had to live under my father's shadow. People recognize you by who your parents were, not for who you are."

"But didn't that open doors for you instead of causing you problems?"

"Leave it alone, Naruto. I can't explain it in a way you'll understand," Kakashi replies with a distant look in his eye.

Naruto's eyes narrow. "Can't or won't?"

"Won't," he replies honestly. "That's all I'm willing to tell you. You don't need to know the rest."

Naruto opens her mouth to retort when she looks in his eye and decides against it. It hurts, but she can accept some things are just too painful to share with anyone else.

As much as she understands, Naruto's relationship with Kakashi cools somewhat since then. She hasn't tried pushing him to help her understand what it's like for both him and Sasuke to live under another's shadow. It still bothers her, though, that neither of her friends have enough confidence in her to do her best to understand and be there for them.

Kakashi is well aware Naruto continues to struggle with his refusal to explain things better. He has deliberately been making himself scarce to give her time to work it out on her own, knowing there is no way he can explain it comfortably to her.

Although she knows Kakashi has been legitimately out on missions in the weeks following their argument, Naruto realizes he's letting the issue cool down between them. It hurts to know he's avoiding her on purpose, even if he's got a good reason for it. Where they had an easy rapport before now feels strained and stilted. Naruto pretends it doesn't bother her and tries focusing on her work.

Sakura keeps close tabs on their investigation, mostly through Naruto. It's rare she ever has enough time to stop by and visit her former teammates. A few times she even stays for their dinners, only to end up leaving early. Partially it's due to her early shifts at the hospital, but mostly it's because they are in the middle of reviewing sensitive documents she has no clearance for.

Although Sasuke is friendlier to her now, he still remains distant. Dating Ritsu proves very lucrative with all information she's gleaned from him so far. She masterfully manipulates and controls the young man to the point he'll tell her anything without question.

Sakura is also aware the investigation has slowed down because of Sasuke's preparations for the chuunin exam, but knows Naruto and Kakashi continue combing through the archives. She informs Danzo their primary focus has been to follow the money trail.

Danzo is concerned because the financial records are the only documents they were unable to completely wipe clean. He knows there are hints of questionable transactions, which can lead them to digging more deeply.

He decides to change his orders prohibiting any further attempts to eliminate the vessel within the village. He orders Sakura and Sai to set a trap to kill Naruto.


	5. The Return: Chapter 5

As the chuunin exams draws near, Kakashi and Naruto slow their investigation to accommodate Sasuke's training schedule, but continue researching and reviewing on their own. Less than two weeks before the exams, Naruto discovers an interesting entry in one of the council financial records. The file tracks ongoing debits and credits from council controlled accounts with entries dating from the present and going back years.

Her eye catches on monthly payments made to a produce distribution warehouse in one of the older industrial districts. The payments are insignificant as they are fairly small, but made in the exact amount every month and have been regular for the last ten years. They are also made from a little used miscellaneous account designated for emergencies in case a department runs out of funds from their own accounts.

Naruto isn't surprised she's unfamiliar with the warehouse because she rarely goes to the part of town it's located in, but something about it strikes her as odd since no reason is given for the payments. She digs further and discovers the balance of the account remains the same, being sustained from another account, but she's unable to determine from where the money is coming from. It's as if someone doesn't want anyone to notice a dip in the account balance.

Naruto continues rooting around for more information on the warehouse. She doesn't find much, but discovers the name of an Uchiha listed as a co-owner. She checks out the names of the other owners and doesn't find much except the three people are civilians. By all appearances the warehouse is still operational, so she decides to check it out personally.

She briefly entertains the idea of waiting and sharing her discovery with Kakashi and Sasuke, but discards it. She only intends to visit the warehouse and it's better to keep it low key, she doesn't need an entourage. She reasons Sasuke is busy training and it might not be a good idea to drag him along because of the apparent family connection. She's also not in a sharing mood toward Kakashi right now either, even if he isn't currently on a mission outside the village.

* * *

The beautiful morning makes Naruto grateful to be outside for a change. Instead of racing across the rooftops, she opts for a leisurely pace to enjoy the scenery. To her surprise she runs into Genma about halfway to her destination.

Smiling when he sees her approaching he saunters up and grabs her in a hug to kiss her breathless. After a couple of minutes he pulls back and asks, "So, how've you been?"

Looking up at him as she regains her senses, she debates on unloading her woes about Kakashi and Sasuke before deciding not to. He's been better about talking lately, but most of her problems with those two are too personal to share, even with him.

"Fine, how 'bout you? Are we going out again soon?" she asks with a smile.

Genma's smile drops as he tenses and his tone becomes biting. "You're getting clingy again."

Arching a brow, Naruto cocks her head, giving him a sardonic look before stating pointedly, "We haven't seen each other in little over a month. It'd be kinda nice to act like boyfriend and girlfriend _once_ in a while, Genma."

Opening his mouth to protest, his brain catches up with the calculations and he promptly shuts it, realizing she's right.

Closing his eyes briefly, he breathes deeply before speaking. "Sorry, didn't think it'd been that long." He blinks in surprise at her disbelieving look. "Honest! Okay, to make it up, I'm meeting Raido and the others for pool later, do you want to come?"

"Won't I be too clingy if I go?" Naruto couldn't keep the snideness out of her tone.

Genma sighs in exasperation. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm still working on that knee jerk reaction."

Closing her eyes briefly she sighs softly before relenting. "Okay, I wanna go."

Grinning he kisses her again. "So, what are you doing in this part of town?"

"Running an errand," she replies innocently.

Both eyebrows rise slightly as he studies her. "Does it have something to do with your investigation into the Uchiha massacre?"

Naruto couldn't help gaping at him in alarm because no one is supposed to know about the investigation.

"Relax," he assures her quietly, pulling her closer. "Remember there were a lot of ANBU around when you apprehended Sasuke and promised to help him. Don't forget I was also in ANBU and as you know we sometimes tend to share even though we know we're not supposed to."

"But if everyone's speculating it could get out to the wrong people," Naruto protests, with a concerned frown.

"Don't worry about it. No one's speculating too deeply, nor are they sharing it with anyone outside the ranks. They all know better. It's just obvious since you're shadowing the Hokage and been neck deep in the archives. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out." He squeezes her waist slightly in reassurance. "I'm not interested in all the gory details, just curious why you're out this way."

Smirking, Naruto shakes her head and sighs. "I found an entry in the council ledgers of payments made to a produce distribution warehouse down here. It's over by the old wastewater treatment plant. The monthly payments have been made like clockwork for ten years in the exact same amount from a miscellaneous account that's supposed to only be used in an emergency if a department runs out of funds. But that's not the really weird part. Turns out it's co-owned by an Uchiha along with three other civilians."

Genma blinks in surprise. "That doesn't make sense. Uchihas were more white collar, upper class. Owning and operating a produce distribution warehouse is too blue collar even for their lowest members, especially in this part of town. And if they co-owned anything, it'd be with another Uchiha, not anyone outside the clan. Why are you checking it out? Wouldn't you find more info on it at the Tower?"

"That's just it. Either documents are missing or the info just isn't there. I keep running into dead ends. I'm curious to see who's running this place, assuming it's what it's supposed to be. Then I figured I'd ask Sasuke about it later."

Chewing his lip for a moment while looking off, Genma finally glances down and states, "I'll go with you."

"Ah, wait a sec, Genma," Naruto begins reluctantly, "I'm working an investigation. 'Sides, I'm a big girl and can handle checking the place out on my own."

"Eh, it's not like I have anything better to do," he shrugs offhandedly before eyeing her shrewdly. "Or is it you don't want to be seen with me?"

"NO! It's not like that at all, I just mean…" Naruto protests in a rush.

"Okay, how 'bout this?" Genma offers with a rakish grin, cutting her off. "Let me go with you and I'll take you to lunch afterwards so we can catch up. Sounds good?"

"Somehow I think even if I still said 'no' you'd follow me anyway," she smirks before relenting. "Alright. Let's get this over with 'cause I'm hungry!"

Genma's grin widens as they continue on to the warehouse together. Naruto keeps double-checking her directions, causing him to eye her curiously.

Noticing she comments, "Sorry, I'm just really unfamiliar with this area. I kinda know where the old treatment plant is, but I'm not sure."

"I thought you knew the entire village inside and out?" he asks surprised.

"Not really," she replies. "I went pretty much where I wanted to, but the Old Man warned me to stay out of this area in particular. There aren't many shinobi living out this way and if I ran into any trouble he was worried I wouldn't have the benefit of any nearby to help, especially ANBU."

"Did the Third really expect the civilians to give you trouble?"

"Yeah, 'cause they were always the most likely. They don't have the same self-discipline ingrained in them like shinobi and have the tendency to act first without thinking. Learned that lesson early when I'd try coming down this way when I was younger. Never got far before I ran into one or two who weren't exactly welcoming. All it took was a couple of close calls to convince me to stick to my own turf."

As if to emphasize her point, a large stone flies at them. Both easily dodge it as a disembodied voice shouts, "Stay the hell away from here, monster!"

"Some things never change," Naruto mumbles while rolling her eyes.

Looking around Genma quickly pinpoints where the rock was thrown from and points to a cluster of bushes and trees, "That's where the voice came from."

"Ignore it. It's not worth it and might cause more idiots to join them. Let's just stay on our toes and get this over with so we can get out of here."

Genma shrewdly scrutinizes her, but doesn't say anything more.

* * *

Minutes later they arrive at the warehouse located at the outer edge of the district. It's a solitary, decaying, two-story steel and wood structure that appears to have been sitting empty for longer than Naruto has been alive. There are no other buildings in close proximity and the weed choked area surrounding it is wide open, providing little cover for anyone to hide in.

Suspicious, Naruto and Genma cautiously check out the grounds surrounding the structure first before entering. A large, cavernous, two-story open space dominates the building and is bordered at ground level by several smaller rooms that are not any higher than the first floor. These rooms were obviously used for storing and sorting large amounts of merchandise for shipping or receiving.

The second level was constructed over some of the ground floor rooms on one side of the building. Offices line an open walkway overlooking the cavernous cargo bay and are connected to an aerial catwalk dissecting the open space before connecting with a metal spiral staircase. Another enclosed, wooden staircase is located toward the back of the building, offering a more private access the office spaces on the second floor.

As they cautiously step further into the warehouse, they begin examining the rooms on the ground floor first. The building hasn't been used in so long they mostly find dead animal carcasses and debris from where sections of the ceiling caved in. They methodically search each room finding nothing.

"I think we may have been led on a wild goose chase," Genma mutters.

Naruto nods. "Looks that way. All the more reason to check things out. The ones responsible might've left a clue. Plus, there's still the chance there's something worth finding. If there's any sort of documents we might have better luck finding them upstairs, like some abandoned files."

"Yeah. We should split up and start at opposite ends. It'd be faster. Besides, I've had the feeling since we arrived we're being watched, but haven't been able to detect any chakra signatures. Could be a high-level shinobi who can mask their chakra. If they're here we might pick them out if we move separately. If not, at least we're no longer a joint target."

"Agreed. I've been getting the same feeling."

She deftly draws a kunai, spinning it on a finger before abruptly stopping the motion by catching the handle. Stretching a little, she leans over to give Genma a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Be careful."

Pulling out his own kunai, he nods and moves off to the spiral staircase while Naruto approaches and climbs the enclosed stairwell. Once he crosses the catwalk to the first office, Genma begins searching each room.

Naruto ends up in a slightly more private area. There are four offices across from the main row of offices on one side of the building, creating a short hallway before it opens onto the open-air walkway. Carefully she examines each small room to find them mostly empty save for a few pieces of abandoned furniture. It doesn't take long until she reaches the catwalk.

Genma had more rooms, so Naruto continues her search, working her way toward him. They both meet in the middle at the final room.

Genma opens the door and enters first just as Naruto is hit by a senbon in the shoulder. Swiftly he spins around and grabs her as she grimaces in pain, dragging her inside the room and slamming the door as a barrage of senbon strike the doorframe and door.

"What the hell?" Naruto mutters, sitting on the floor in front of Genma and flexing her fingers. He had fallen back into a sitting position, awkwardly dragging Naruto down with him. "My hands are tingling and starting to feel numb."

Pulling her forward to bend over his leg he quickly extracts the needle to prevent any more of the substance it was coated with from entering her system. Helping her straighten up and holding her close he lifts the senbon to his nose and carefully sniffs the bloody end.

"It's not poison," he states grimly.

"Gee, thank Kami for small favors," she gripes, rolling her eyes. "Shit, now I'm losing mobility." She holds up her hands to show how limp they've become.

"Must be a paralytic. You're still conscious, but it's affecting your coordination, starting with numbing your extremities."

"No kidding, I can't feel my feet and lower legs anymore. I wonder why a paralytic, though," Naruto muses.

Before Genma can answer, both share a look as they simultaneously hear the distinctive sound of paper bombs sizzling inside the room.

Unceremoniously tossing Naruto over his shoulder Genma races out the door, leaping over the catwalk railing. He hits the ground running, racing for the exit as the bombs start going off. Throwing Naruto onto the floor Genma shields her with his body as flames and debris rage around them.

* * *

Naruto has little awareness of anything. Slowly her mind emerges from the murky depths, growing increasingly aware of only one thing, pain and lots of it. It feels like an eternity before she can focus on something else and hears voices penetrating the haze. She can't make out what they're saying; only that their tones are familiar. She struggles to figure out who is there before attempting to open her eyes to look. A low grunt escapes her throat from the effort, effectively silencing all conversation in the room.

"Gaki?" Tsunade's worried voice breaks through the fog and Naruto attempts to reply, but the dryness in her mouth makes it come out a croak.

With her eyes still closed, Naruto feels her head being gently lifted a little and a cup of water tipped to her lips so she can sip. Her head is then eased back onto the pillow. Finally she manages to open one eye, belatedly realizing the other is swollen shut. She blinks a few times to clear some of the dry fogginess blurring her vision.

Once she can see, she scans her surroundings. Baa-chan hovers off to one side, smiling next to an equally relieved Iruka and Yugao. To her surprise, sitting on the other side of her bed is Sasuke and Kakashi. Opening her mouth to ask what happened, the memories of the explosion rush back. Sucking in a startled gasp irritates her throat, causing a painful coughing fit. As soon as it passes she groans in pain as her head is tilted again and the water glass is pressed to her lips.

When the pain is tolerable, Naruto tiredly asks in a hoarse voice, "How's Genma?"

"Alive, but in a coma," Tsunade explains gently. "He suffered a severe concussion, two broken and cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder as well as other minor injuries."

"Is he gonna be all right?" she asks worriedly.

"You need to concentrate on healing since you're in worse shape, gaki," Tsunade pointedly states with a glare.

"C'mon, Baa-chan, I wanna know!"

Shaking her head and rolling her eyes Tsunade blows out a harsh breath. "He's tough and I expect him to make a full recovery."

Closing her eye briefly, Naruto sighs softly in relief. "It's my fault. If he hadn't gone with me to check out that warehouse he wouldn't have been hurt."

Looking pointedly over at Iruka and Yugao, Tsunade declares, "Iruka and Yugao will come back later to visit."

Catching the not so subtle hint, Iruka grins while Yugao rolls her eyes. Rising from his seat he leans over Naruto, gently kissing her forehead, "I'll be by after work tomorrow."

Naruto nods and returns Yugao's wave as Iruka turns and leaves with her.

"Alright, gaki," Tsunade begins once the door shuts behind the couple. "What happened?"

Taking a deep breath Naruto explains what she found in the records earlier that day and how she ended up checking the warehouse with Genma.

"Neither of you noticed any details that might lead to your attackers?" Tsunade pushes.

"Nothing," Naruto shakes her head. "They were skilled 'cause they masked their chakra so well neither of us could detect it. We just _'felt'_ like someone was shadowing us. We thought poking around some more might help us get a bead on them. Whoever it was didn't want to take any chances when they hit me with a senbon coated with the paralytic. Genma had to throw me over his shoulder and race outta there when we heard the tags start burning 'cause my mobility was gone."

"I wondered how the drug was administered," the blonde muses absentmindedly, "but we couldn't tell with all your injuries."

"Well, he almost made it out before he threw me to the ground and tried covering me with his body. I don't remember anything after that."

"Genma shielded you?" Tsunade asks, prompting Naruto to nod. "Genma was found several feet away from you, lying against an old forklift that was abandoned in the building. The machine actually helped shield him from the falling debris. The concussive force of the explosions must've knocked him off of you and into the forklift otherwise he would've been trapped with you."

"How bad is it, Baa-chan?"

Tsunade sighs, reaching over to brush her fingers through Naruto's red bangs. "You actually got the worst of it because you were still lying out in the open pinned under two steel girders and buried under debris. Your left leg is broken in three different places and your pelvis in one. You suffered six broken and cracked ribs as well as several serious internal injuries. You were lucky you weren't killed or the lower half of your body wasn't crushed by the weight of the girders."

Opening her mouth to make a snappy retort, Naruto is overcome by another agonizing coughing fit. When it's over Tsunade helps her drink more water to soothe her throat.

"You need to rest, gaki."

"I'm fine," Naruto protests stubbornly. "How long has it been since the explosion anyways?"

"Four days."

Naruto blinks in shock. "I wonder why it's taking the old dust mop so long to heal me?"

"Could have to do with the paralytic. We already know how some things not only affect you, but also the fox," Tsunade reasons.

"Yeah," Naruto nods slightly in understanding, "'cause whatever isn't hurting in my hands and feet still feels tingly and slightly numb."

"This particular drug slowly breaks down in the body and it may be another day or two before it's completely gone. It's difficult to tell if the fox will need more time to recover from the effects before it can heal you. So in the meantime you're going to have to rest."

When Naruto opens her mouth Kakashi interrupts. "She's correct, Naruto. You need to rest."

"But I've been resting for four days!"

"That doesn't count!" Tsunade snaps in annoyance. "Now, you can either comply or be given a sedative, which may hinder the fox further in healing you _**and**_ will keep you in the hospital longer. So which will it be?"

"You wouldn't dare," Naruto growls with narrowed eyes.

"Just try me," Tsunade smirks back, looming over ominously.

Naruto looks at her teammates for support, but judging by their expressions she finds none. With a defeated sigh she relents with a nod.

"Knew you'd see it my way," Tsunade gloats with a grin before turning to leave the room.

"Get some rest, Naruto," Kakashi adds, rising to his feet and walking out.

"Goodnight, dobe," Sasuke says before following Kakashi.

"Goodnight guys," Naruto calls out before sighing heavily into the darkened room.

She wonders if she'll be able to talk to the fox to find out if the paralytic did affect it as she closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep.

* * *

Tsunade silently leads the two men to her office in the hospital. Once settled Sasuke is the first to express his thoughts.

"It's strange an Uchiha's name is listed as the owner of the warehouse. I don't recognize it, but he was probably a distant cousin I wasn't familiar with. I'm certain no one was involved in shipping and distribution, though." Pausing, Sasuke's frown deepens before continuing. "Even if they were, it wouldn't have been located in that part of town. It's too far from the main road when they would've had no problem obtaining a better location."

"Judging by Naruto's comments, the information may have been planted as a lure. Whoever did it knew she would check a physical lead in person," Kakashi reasons.

Sasuke nods. "It's a possibility, but how'd they know she'd be checking those files when we didn't even know? I think it's more likely she was being followed and her attackers took advantage of the opportunity."

Tsunade rubs a hand across her tired eyes before looking between the two men. "Either way the situation paints a disturbing picture. This is the second attempt on Naruto's life and the evidence is pointing to highly trained Konoha shinobi." Taking a deep breath her gaze hardens. "The paper bombs used to blow up her apartment were traced to tags discovered missing from the academy before the explosion. I think the same stolen tags might've been used in this attack. Also, the paralytic drug used belongs to Konoha. Other villages have similar drugs, but each is distinctive chemically. It can't be a coincidence. The question becomes whether Naruto is being targeted because of the investigation or because of who she is. I'm leaning toward it being both."

"Then why haven't Kakashi and I been attacked?" Sasuke asks, arching a brow.

"Naruto's attackers may want to eliminate her as a potential threat," Kakashi points out. "However, that doesn't mean someone else wouldn't pick up where she left off. I agree; it's possible it could be a combination of both threat and grudge. Perhaps the ones who are obviously interfering with the investigation may have a long-standing grudge against her or they see her as a potential future threat."

Tsunade nods. "It's no secret I've tagged Naruto as my successor. The gaki has grown into a very powerful shinobi and continues improving. If everything happening now, or even in the past with the Uchiha massacre, is simply setting the stage for future events, then she could be a potential threat. We all know she'd fight tooth and nail to protect Konoha." Tsunade pauses briefly in thought before continuing. "Maybe I should keep an ANBU guard on her 24/7 and restrict her movements to try minimizing the threat."

"Good luck with that," Sasuke snorts in amusement.

Kakashi shakes his head. "It won't guarantee her safety and it'll be more like a punishment. She's always been at risk with plenty of enemies and short of sealing her in a box there's no way to ensure her safety. Besides, she'll not only fight against any restrictions, but she'll resent having them placed on her. It says we don't believe in her."

Tsunade mulls it over. "Alright," she sighs wearily. "As much as I don't want the gaki to suffer anymore, I wouldn't want to hurt her. We're all going to have to be extra vigilant and somehow get it through her thick skull she's not to do anything on her own any more." Her voice drops lower. "I hate to think of what would've happened if Genma hadn't gone with her." Steeling her resolve, her gaze hardens. "You two need to be careful because Naruto may not be the only target. Her attackers may decide to go through either of you to get to her. Now go home and get some rest."

"I'd like to sit with Naruto a little while longer, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi states mildly.

"Me too," Sasuke concurs with a nod.

Tsunade rolls her eyes in annoyance. "Okay, but you aren't to stay too long or I'll throw your asses out the window."

Smirking and nodding in agreement both men get up and return to Naruto's room.

* * *

Naruto sleeps undisturbed as Sasuke and Kakashi sit in silence watching her. Bruises of varying severity, countless lacerations and burns mar her pale skin. There is a painful sounding hitch to her breathing from the damaged ribs. Her left leg is splinted and her hips are in traction, held stationary by a framework of steel bars and pins drilled into bone.

After several minutes Sasuke breaks the silence. "Even when I denied it, I still felt connected to everyone on Team 7. But I never felt it more keenly than when I heard Naruto was injured."

Kakashi turns to scrutinize Sasuke who continues sitting with his arms crossed, staring at Naruto. He doesn't say anything, patiently waiting for the younger man to continue.

"I felt it when I left her unconscious at the Valley of the End, but focused on vengeance, convincing myself I didn't care. However, I never stopped caring. The baka made me care whether I wanted to or not. She's responsible for everything that's happened and has been there from the beginning." Smirking Sasuke turns to look at Kakashi. "Not that you haven't been there either because if it weren't for you two I wouldn't have made it this far. But Naruto is the reason I returned and am doing all of this. I wouldn't have bothered otherwise."

Kakashi nods in understanding as he looks back over at Naruto's still form. "She'd be pleased to know that."

"Probably," Sasuke shrugs before rolling his eyes. "I won't ever tell her because she'd lord it over my head and never let me live it down."

Both men chuckle quietly before Sasuke becomes serious again and continues. "Besides, it's strange being concerned for anyone else when I've only had myself to worry about for so long."

Kakashi nods as the silence washes over them again. Both continue observing the slumbering redhead before Tsunade reappears to chase them out.

* * *

Naruto isn't sure what woke her up.

Everything is quiet and the building isn't exploding around her ears again. However, something keeps niggling at her senses. Finally she opens her eye to peer into familiar green orbs. Without warning Sakura engulfs her in a tight hug that serves to reawaken all her dormant aches and pain.

To her immense relief Sakura releases her and begins fussing over her. Grateful for her concern Naruto answers her questions about what happened. She doesn't worry about compromising the investigation since the information on the warehouse came from the council files, which are open to the public.

Sakura frowns in concern. "Although I want you and the guys to uncover the truth, I don't want to see any of you hurt." She pauses to roll her eyes. "I know you won't back down now, but you've got to be more careful," she chides gently.

Naruto isn't sure why, but her control slips and she starts tearing up.

"Naruto?" Sakura worriedly asks. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Regaining her composure a little, Naruto sighs heavily. "It's because of my stupidity Genma was hurt."

Sakura crosses her arms. "How were you to know it was a trap? And it was a trap anyone could've been drawn into, even Kakashi. As for Genma, he went by his own choice and knew what he was doing. Besides, it was a good thing he was there or you would've been dead. He's injured badly, but you came out worse. Either way you both survived and that's what counts. You shouldn't dwell on it, but focus instead on uncovering the truth. It might lead to whoever is responsible."

Baffled, Naruto blinks, trying to catch up since Sakura was speaking a little fast. Finally, a smile spreads across her face in gratitude. "Thanks, Sakura-chan."

Sakura grins back saying, "Anytime. I'm gonna check you over before I leave to finish my rounds. I'll try to stop in again later."

Sakura spends a few minutes examining Naruto before leaving the redhead with firm orders to rest. Smirking to herself, she feels she's due for another visit with Danzo later as she strolls down the hallway.

* * *

While Naruto recuperates, Sasuke continues training for the chuunin exam with the two genin assigned as his teammates. Kakashi spends a lot of time retracing Naruto's steps in the archives trying to uncover any additional leads or something that might point to her attacker.

He and Sasuke already investigated the ruins of the warehouse once it was deemed safe and found nothing amidst the still smoldering rubble. Sasuke goes back to his training, while Kakashi returns to the archives, trying to determine where the money is coming from to sustain the emergency account.

Eventually he discovers at least five other businesses receiving payments in a similar manner and all with at least one Uchiha listed as a co-owner. He compiles a list of names including any non-Uchiha co-owners for further research. He does check out the location of each business only to find four are vacant lots. The fifth is a completely different business occupying the premises than the one listed in the records. Instead of a weapons smith, the business is a sweets store that has been in operation for nearly twenty years and owned by the same family the entire time.

After visiting the sweets store, Kakashi leaves off researching the listed owners of each bogus business for later to visit with Naruto. She continues sleeping peacefully as he relaxes in a chair next to her bed reading his beloved Icha Icha. Judging by the hitch still evident in her breathing and the unchanged presence of her other injuries, the fox still hasn't been able to heal her since the explosion a week ago. Kakashi winces in sympathy at her obvious pain.

It isn't long after he arrives that Naruto stirs into awareness. It takes her a moment to shake off the grogginess and focus on her surroundings. She smiles warmly when her eyes fall on Kakashi.

He greets her with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," she replies roughly as she reaches up to gently rub at her eyes. "But at least it won't be long before the fox can heal me."

Dropping her hand she notices his questioning look. "The paralytic did affect the fox. Caused the old dirt mop to lapse into a comatose state, as if it were in hibernation. Now that it's pretty much free of the drug and conscious it'll start healing me soon. But with the severity of my injuries looks like it'll be a couple more days 'til I'm outta here. Hopefully in time for the chuunin exams and before Gaara and his siblings arrive. I don't want them to see me like this."

"How has Gaara been?" Kakashi asks, seizing on the topic.

"Great. He's really happy with the way things have been going. He's still keeping the Wind Daimyo from contracting work out to other villages. Helps he drops loads of hints about relocating Suna to another country under a more appreciative daimyo. Anyway, they've never been stronger or more prosperous. So," Naruto smiles before changing the subject again, "how's the investigation going?"

"It hasn't since you've been in the hospital," he replies innocently.

Annoyed, Naruto's eyes narrow. "Don't feed me that shit," she growls. "I know better. You've been rooting around. I'd do the same thing if our roles were reversed."

"Just can't get anything past you can I?" Kakashi teases, stalling further.

"Shut up and tell me!" she snaps.

Chuckling Kakashi explains what he found in the archives and at each location earlier that day. When he finishes Naruto worries her lower lip with her teeth while frowning in thought.

"Those payments must be an illegitimate source of income for someone, but it may not be related to our investigation," she muses absently.

"Maybe," Kakashi shrugs, "but the fact each is connected to a deceased Uchiha certainly raises questions."

"Yeah. If it weren't for that I wouldn't have looked twice." Her eyes flick back onto his. "Have you asked Sasuke about it?"

"Not yet. He's busy with his training and this can wait until it's over. In the meantime I'll investigate each of the other names on the list."

"Sounds good to me."

The pair soon lapse into a comfortable silence while Naruto drifts in and out of a light doze.

"I understand yours and Sasuke's point of view," Naruto mutters out of the blue an hour later.

Glancing up from his book, Kakashi frowns in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean regarding you two living under other people's shadows," she explains, looking over at him. "There's a lot I can't relate to, but I get it. It just hurt how quickly you two shut me out. I care for you guys and really wanted to understand. But just like I can't really know what it's like for you, you can't know what it's like for me."

At Kakashi's arched brow Naruto sighs heavily before continuing.

"You weren't hated or blamed for something outta your control. You always had other people's respect even if it was because of who you were related to. Sure I could try using my father's name now, but it wouldn't be the same. Only Gaara knows what it's like for me and even his situation is different," she shrugs before continuing. "My father paid for his actions with his life, but did it to protect the village. Gaara's father had him conceived to be a weapon, sacrificing his wife and living to hate his son."

Pausing, she shifts a little, stretching out an arm and attempts to grab her glass off the bedside table when Kakashi beats her to it. Bringing it up to her mouth, he holds it while she sips water through the straw. She mutters 'thanks' as he sets the glass back onto the table and sits down again.

"It's hard carrying your past, but it's nice when someone tries to understand. Iruka did that for me and that's what I wanted to do for you guys." She pauses to sigh again. "I'm not going to nag you guys into sharing 'cause that's just how you are, but I wish you wouldn't arbitrarily dismiss me like everyone else does. I understand more than people give me credit for."

It's quiet for a few minutes before Kakashi finally speaks. "Neither of us are used to sharing ourselves."

"I know. It's just such a dark, lonely position to be in."

Kakashi reaches for her hand and squeezes it gently. "Thanks for caring enough to try."

Naruto smiles softly. "Even if you don't think I'll get it, I'm gonna keep trying."

"Go back to sleep," he urges gently with a smile as she shifts more comfortably.

As she drifts off, he continues watching her, remaining deep in thought for a couple more hours.

* * *

Sakura returns home at the end of her shift. She is looking forward to relaxing a little before paying Danzo a visit. However, her plans are cut short when her mother hands her an encrypted note as soon as she walks in the door.

"How was your day?" Chiwa asks, following Sakura down the hallway toward her room as she reads the note.

"Fine," she replies absently. Reaching her room she quickly changes clothes while her mother continues chattering at her from the doorway.

"I know you've got to go again, but I've been meaning to tell you that you could do so much better than Ritsu. You really should try to become better friends with Sasuke."

Ignoring her encouraging words, Sakura brushes silently past her mother.

"Don't wait up for me," she calls before slamming the front door.

* * *

Minutes later Sakura arrives at Danzo's mansion and finds Sai is already with Danzo in his office.

"What's your excuse this time?" she demands, crossing the room to the desk.

"Why would you expect me to make an excuse?" he asks, cocking his head to the side in curiosity.

"Because you failed to kill the Baka! _Again_," she growls in annoyance.

"Everything went according to plan, even if it were spur of the moment," Sai calmly explains. "I thought I would have to attempt a hit out in the open since it was one of the few occasions Naruto ventured outside the Hokage Tower alone. When I read her lips as she spoke to Genma, I realized the warehouse she was going to would be the perfect place and sped ahead to set the trap. Naruto simply survived," he shrugs indifferently.

"Why didn't you hit Genma with the paralytic either, moron?"

"Because he ducked," Sai replies simply as if it were obvious.

Sakura rolls her eyes. "You're incompetent for missing the perfect opportunity! Now I'm going to have to finish the job for you at the hospital," she sneers.

"No," Danzo orders, promptly drawing their attention to him. Leaning back in the luxurious leather chair where he silently observed their entire exchange, he continues. "If you act against the vessel now, the attempt will fail again. Tsunade is her physician and they have likely figured out someone is targeting the vessel. Even if you use the most powerful poisons, she will fight to save the vessel. It would attract unwanted attention and place everyone at the hospital under immediate suspicion. I do not want you to do anything to bring any unwanted attention to my plans. Is that understood?"

"Hai, Danzo-sama," Sai replies.

"Sure," Sakura replies sullenly while crossing her arms and pouting.

"Sakura, do you have any updates?"

Sighing in frustration, Sakura drops her arms and begins her report.

"The baka said they found some suspicious payments made to bogus businesses from council expense accounts. What caught their attention was the Uchiha listed as co-owners. That's what led the baka to that warehouse. Seems Kakashi is retracing her steps prior to the explosion. I heard a couple people mention seeing him poking around the industrial district this afternoon, visiting empty lots and a civilian business. I haven't spoken with him about it, but he probably wouldn't tell me much anyway, usually doesn't. I'll have to ask the baka about it later."

Danzo remains silent for several minutes before speaking.

"It is troubling to learn the vessel was investigating that particular warehouse. I use those false businesses to embezzle funds to support Root financially. There are others scattered within the council files and Kakashi may have discovered them if he were retracing the vessel's footsteps. However, they are not likely to learn much. They will not uncover where the money is going to or originating from."

Pinning Sakura with his gaze he continues. "Get closer to the investigation and learn what you can. Both of you are to refrain from any further attempts for the time being. Once Sasuke becomes a chuunin there will be more opportunities to take out the vessel. For now simply observe."

Both Sakura and Sai nod in understanding of their orders.

* * *

Much to her irritation, Naruto is forced to stay in the hospital for four more days. At least until the fox heals her enough where she can move around on crutches.

She doesn't see much of Sasuke, but isn't surprised. He is focused on preparing for the Chuunin Exams taking place in a few more days, which doesn't leave much time for visiting. Regardless, Naruto is relieved he's taking it seriously.

The last time he stopped by they talked about the exam. She suggested he win the final rounds using his brain rather than his brawn. It's the first time in years she has last seen Sasuke look so affronted.

"Why should I hold back?" he asks, bristling in irritation.

"'Cause you'll win over more people that way, teme. They hold intelligence and cunning in higher regards than brute strength and fancy jutsu," she explains patiently.

"I'm not doing this to win fans," he growls out.

Naruto takes a calming breath and counts to ten to keep from strangling him. "Okay, I know there's still a chance you won't stay, but if you do and then decide to restart your clan, you have to think of them."

At Sasuke's confused expression she sighs wearily.

"Remember what you said about not feeling connected to the village?" At his nod she continues. "I get it that part of that was living in your clan's shadow. People didn't see _you_, just the last surviving Uchiha. But a lot of them changed their minds when you left. You're back now and may not care what they think, you've always been like that," she shrugs carelessly, "but if you get married and have kids, what about them? They're not going to just be living under the Uchiha name; they're going be under the shadow of your actions. They'll be unfairly blamed for what you did."

Sasuke blinks at her in shock. This was not something he considered yet.

Naruto nods at his expression. "If you use your brain it'll be less fearsome and intimidating, making you more approachable. It's not just about you. You've got to think of the long run and how your actions will affect your kids."

She gives him a moment to absorb her words before continuing. "That's why you've got to stop being so self-centered or you're just gonna hurt the ones you care about."

Sasuke nods absently. He definitely has a lot to think about, but knows it'll have to wait until after the Chuunin Exam.


	6. Gradual Adjustments: Chapter 6

Finally leaving the hospital is exhilarating, even if it's on crutches. The nurses asked Naruto to wait until someone she knows can escort her home, but she politely declines, cackling inwardly at them. Like she'll actually stay any longer in the hospital than necessary. If they want her to stick around until Kakashi or someone else can come pick her up, they should've been smart and not given her the release papers so early. She can't resist shaking her head at them in disbelief, thinking they should know her well enough by now.

It's nice being outside in the fresh August air, even if traveling is slow going. She decides that when she gets to Kakashi's building she'll detour and stop by Genma's apartment. He had been released days earlier and will be on medical leave for a couple more weeks until his injuries completely healed. Naruto hasn't seen him at all while she was in the hospital, but understands why. Now that she's out she _**is**_ going to see her boyfriend.

The trip is exhausting. Fortunately, Genma lives in a ground floor unit of Kakashi's building. Stopping there will give her a break because she is not relishing the thought of maneuvering up five flights of stairs to Kakashi's apartment.

Naruto doesn't have to wait long after knocking and is pleasantly surprised when Raido answers.

"Naruto!" Raido blinks in disbelief before coming to his senses and ushering her inside. "Did you just get released?"

"Hey, Raido. Yeah, just got out. They wanted me to wait until Kakashi came to pick me up, but then I would've been waiting there until tomorrow," she jokes while hobbling in.

Raido laughs as he quickly clears a space for her on Genma's sofa. They both joked if Genma ever moved from his messy apartment the landlord would have to set fire to the unit to clear everything out.

Genma emerges from the bedroom as Raido finishes helping Naruto settle on the sofa. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees her.

"You're out? I thought you'd still be in the hospital."

"I had to get out sometime," Naruto smirks. "Glad it was sooner than later, though. How've you been feeling?"

Genma jerks a little as if shocked, then walks over and leans in to kiss her in greeting.

"Fine. A bit sore in the shoulder and I sometimes get a little dizzy standing up, but in good shape otherwise," he replies, settling himself on the armrest of the sofa right next to her.

Looking up at him, she smiles softly in relief. "I'm glad. Thought I should stop by and see how you were for myself since they wouldn't let me when you were still in the hospital. Figured you should be my first stop before heading upstairs to Kakashi's apartment."

His eyes narrow in annoyance. "You're being smothering again."

Raido gapes at him in shock, but Naruto doesn't seem fazed by his attitude in the least.

"She isn't being smothering, Genma," Raido scolds angrily. "She's concerned about your sorry ass. It's the same reason why I stopped by to check on you. Besides, how can she be smothering when she just got out herself?"

Naruto smiles gratefully. "It's okay, Rai. Genma's probably still in pain and cranky."

"I'm not cranky!" Genma snaps.

Naruto smirks and arches a brow at Raido, as if to say 'see?'

Raido snorts before turning to a scowling Genma. "You should apologize."

Genma glares at him before mumbling an apology to Naruto.

Naruto smiles at him before taking his hand. "Thank you." When Genma looks at her confused she continues. "For saving my ass in the warehouse. Because of you, we got out alive. I'm really sorry you got hurt because of me."

Uncomfortable with the apology and gratitude, Genma looks away before changing the subject. "You think you might be up to going out later in the week? I want make up for our missed date the day of the explosion."

Smiling widely Naruto nods. "Yeah, I think I'll be up to it. I don't want to be cooped up at home all the time. You also owe me lunch too, remember?"

Genma starts protesting, but Raido steps in and growls a warning.

"Fine," Genma sulkily agrees then mumbles something about demanding girlfriends.

Raido opens his mouth to scold him again, but Naruto shakes her head, warning him off. With a sigh Raido relents.

"Alright, I've got to get going anyway. So see you guys later."

Naruto struggles to her feet with Genma and Raido's help. Genma mumbles a quick goodbye, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing into the kitchen. Raido glares at his retreating back before turning back to Naruto.

"You aren't planning on climbing all those stairs by yourself are you?" he asks in disbelief as he opens the door for her.

She looks at him confused as she starts hobbling through the front door. "Well, yeah. It's not that big a deal."

"Not a big deal?" Raido asks incredulously while pulling the door closed behind them. "You live on the sixth floor!" When Naruto starts to protest he cuts her off. "Look, why don't you let me carry you upstairs? It'll be faster and less tiring for you."

Naruto blinks in surprise. "Thanks, but that's okay. Don't worry about it, I've got it."

Before she can protest further Raido stands in front of her and carefully hefts her into his arms.

"There is no way in hell you're going to convince me you'll be able to maneuver up five flights of stairs. I'll just carry you because I don't want to risk jostling you by Shunshining."

After giving her a moment to adjust herself while hanging on to the crutches, he starts climbing up with great care.

"Why did you let Genma off the hook? Not only was he rude, but also he didn't even visit you in the hospital. How can you put up with that?" Raido asks after the first flight.

Naruto sighs softly. "Genma doesn't mean to be rude, but can't handle anyone showing affection or concern for him. That's why he lashes out like that. It's also why he didn't visit me."

"I can't believe you're defending him," Raido states in disbelief, shaking his head.

Naruto glares at him in annoyance. "I'm not blindly defending him, Raido. In Genma's mind visiting me would've been acknowledging he actually cares for me in some way. To admit that scares the hell out of him. He's used to losing those he cares about."

Her eyes dart away briefly in embarrassment before meeting Raido's questioning gaze as he angles his head to look at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Since he doesn't tell me anything about himself, I cheated and peeked at his personnel file. Both of his parents were shinobi and he lost them young. Before he graduated the academy. He lived with a relative and they died on him too. Aoba told me his first serious girlfriend was a kunoichi who died on a mission. With that sort of track record I'm surprised he's willing to date at all."

"You really did your homework," Raido quips, causing Naruto to grin. Sighing heavily he continues, "And most of his girlfriends he never stays with long enough to get serious with."

Naruto nods. "Exactly. To open himself up emotionally to someone scares the hell out of him. In his mind it means another person he'll lose. Besides, the condition I was in probably only confirmed that for him because I was really fucked up compared to him. No, it's much easier and less painful for him to push everyone away."

"Still, it's not like you guys are engaged or moving in together."

"I know, but even if Genma only cares for me like any other comrade, that was still too close for his comfort. He was doing much better before someone tried blowing us to bits. Now he's trying to distance himself again. I'm no pushover, Rai, you know that, but he needs to realize he's not going to drive me away that easily. I'm trying to make him realize he can relax and be happy with someone," Naruto explains.

Raido looks over his shoulder to gape at her. "Have you been taking lessons from Inoichi and Ibiki?"

A comical combination of amusement and confusion crosses her face as she shakes her head. "Why?"

"Because you've got Genma pretty well pegged. All of his past girlfriends would bitch about his behavior until they finally broke up with him. I knew you were a sweet kid," Raido pauses briefly to chuckle at the glare Naruto gives him before sobering again, "but I thought you were letting him walk all over you. I forget you're not like the other girls and give as good as you get."

Naruto smiles at him as they arrive at Kakashi's door. He sets her down, helping her onto her crutches and opens the door for her when she unlocks it. After he helps her inside Naruto gives him a hug and thanks him for carrying her up the stairs.

Raido studies her before speaking. "You're the best thing to ever happen to Genma, but you deserve a lot better. Genma's not going to change and you should move on before he hurts you."

"Thanks, Rai, but I don't give up easily on anyone. Look how long it took me with Sasuke," she quips, causing both to break out laughing. "I can be just as stubborn if not more so than Genma. If you don't believe me, you can ask anyone and they'll happily concur with that opinion," she adds with a grin.

Raido can't help but chuckle. "I know, but at least think about it. Genma will easily hurt you before he gets hurt."

"I will, promise. Thanks again, Rai." Naruto shut the door after Raido with a heavy sigh.

Raido stares at the closed door for a moment before deciding he needs to have a nice long chat with Genma.

Not long after Raido leaves, Kakashi returns home. Giving Naruto a flat look, he closes the front door and leans against it with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"I should've asked the nurses to strap you to the bed until I came to pick you up," he intones dryly.

Naruto snorts. "Then they shouldn't have given me the release papers so early. 'Sides, with your sense of time you wouldn't have come for me until the following day. I wanted out."

"I'm not that bad," Kakashi sighs, rolling his eye.

She just arches a brow in response.

Instead of arguing, he moves over to the sofa to sit next to her. "How'd you manage all those flights of stairs?"

"I paid Genma a visit and Raido was there. He offered to carry me up," she explains.

"I'm surprised you didn't refuse his offer."

"I did, but he already lifted me into his arms before I could do anything."

Kakashi chuckles before asking, "How did Genma react when he saw you since he didn't visit you in the hospital?"

"Like usual, a prick," Naruto sighs. "I thanked him for saving me and apologized for getting him injured. So," she begins, changing the subject, "find anything today?"

While she was hospitalized Kakashi held off on investigating until she was released. With her laid up and Sasuke training there was no point. Since he knew it'd take forever to discharge her today, he started checking the names they've compiled into a list of the owners of the bogus businesses. He could've easily found other ways to occupy himself, but he also knows Naruto would be anxious to dive back into the investigation immediately. If he didn't come up with something to keep them busy for a while, she'll be digging through the files before she's cleared from medical leave. This has been the closest in a long time she has come to being killed and Kakashi knows she'll need the time to recuperate from her injuries.

Sighing heavily he begins explaining what he found. "I focused on learning the location and status of each name on the list. Turns out every single one is deceased, most of them having been dead since before the demon attack."

Naruto blinks at him in shock. "Woah, but it makes sense since enough time has passed since they died. Their names weren't likely to be recognized by anyone who might say 'hey, so and so is dead why is their name on this?' The whole damn thing has been set up so subtly it wouldn't attract that sort of attention."

Kakashi nods. "We'll have to look into the backgrounds of each one and try figuring out where the money is going. Since they're listed as a business owner then it's possible they could still have active accounts." Naruto opens her mouth to speak, but he cuts her off. "We'll start doing that after the chuunin exams. You need to recuperate and you're the one who's been adamant about supporting Sasuke."

Naruto scowls at him before relenting. "Alright."

"Since you're supposed to be recuperating, you should take a nap while I fix dinner."

"I'm not tired!" Naruto protests, before trying to stifle a huge yawn.

Kakashi merely arches a brow.

Crossing her arms in a huff, she pouts. "I've been doing nothing but sleeping. I'd be much more productive going over the information we've collected so far!"

Without a word, Kakashi stands up and gently pushes down on her shoulders, forcing her to lie down.

"Sleep," he orders.

As he turns to walk away, she sticks her tongue out at his back. Before she blinks he deftly captures it between his fingers. She tries to bite him, but he pulls her tongue so she bites that instead while maintaining a firm grip on the organ.

Ignoring her pained, incoherent protests, Kakashi happily grins down at her. "I could simply hit you with one of several sleep jutsu I know."

"You wouldn't dare!" she barely manages to mumble around her tongue.

Naruto could see his stupid smirk behind his mask and recognizes the gleam in his eye.

"You would," she mumbles again.

Finally he releases her tongue and chuckles as he makes his way to the kitchen while she grumpily settles in for a nap.

* * *

The days pass quickly and the chuunin exams take place without incident. Naruto happily catches up with Gaara and his siblings. Since she is still on crutches and sporting some nice bruises, including a particularly nice shiner, they naturally ask what happened. She explains she had an on the job injury. They accept the simple explanation, understanding she can't tell them more.

Sasuke did well in the exam, heeding Naruto's advice, relying more on stealth and cunning. His final match came to a stunning conclusion, resulting in him cleverly tricking his opponent into getting trapped by their own jutsu. The crowd roars its approval, resulting in Sasuke's promotion.

Naruto listens to buzz about his fight from many of the spectators after the match. Most thought Sasuke would use some sort of sinister jutsu and annihilate his opponent. Others applaud the fact he went for a capture rather than a kill because it's not always about destroying an opponent. Valuable information can be gleaned from an enemy captive. Naruto glances over at Kakashi who sat with her during the exam. He reaches for her hand and squeezes it while smiling happily at her in approval. She was right and Sasuke may have just changed a lot of people's opinions for the better.

Although pleased with his promotion, Sasuke is reluctant to make a big deal about it. Naruto, however, has other ideas and insisted they all go out to dinner to celebrate. She wanted to invite all of the rookies, but most weren't able to go because they had to work the next day or are out on missions.

At least Sakura is able to go. Naruto had to play dirty with Tsunade to get Sakura the day off for the next day so she can be out late with them. She threatened to tell Shizune all the current locations she's hiding her beloved sake. Sakura brings Ritsu along and he happily chats with Sasuke about his promotion and being back in Konoha. He stuns Sasuke when he compliments him on being an impressive individual. It takes a lot of guts to return to the village after defecting and a strong person to work as hard as he has to become a member again. Ritsu shakes Sasuke's hand saying he respects him and is proud to call him comrade. He would be honored to serve on a team with him. Sasuke can only mutely nod as he shakes the chunin's hand, confused as to why Ritsu's words would affect him so much.

* * *

The day after the chuunin exam Naruto runs into Sai in the Mission Room after stopping by for a check up with Tsunade. Not having seen him in several months, Naruto hobbles up and surprises him with a hug.

"Hello, titless," Sai greets her.

Naruto pulls back slightly to give him an 'are you kidding' look. "You really need to come up with a new insult," she states, gesturing toward her boobs. "Titless is old and tired and you're a creative boy, surely you can come up with new insults."

"How about brainless?" he asks innocently.

"Quit while you're ahead, Sai," she states, giving him a flat look. Brightening up she adds, "Hey, are you free this afternoon?"

"Yes."

"Then join me for lunch so we can catch up!" she suggests eagerly.

Sai hesitates, but is unable to come up with an excuse not to go.

"Alright," he agrees reluctantly.

Naruto drags Sai to a nearby grill. As they exchange small talk she makes him hand over his sketchbook so she can see the new drawings he's added to it. Sai studies her while she's flipping through the book before speaking.

"You must've really fucked up to get injured like this."

Pausing mid-flip, Naruto slowly raises her head to glare at him. For a moment, he's certain she's going to start shouting before pummeling him. Instead, she takes a deep calming breath.

"Y'know," she begins through gritted teeth, "ever since Team Kakashi disbanded your people skills have really gone into the dumper. Looks like we're just gonna have try harder to see each other so you can relearn how to behave like a human being instead of a stinky pile of shit."

Sai smiles at her insult. "That's a pretty creative nickname."

Naruto smiles sweetly back. "Just trying to set a good example." Pausing to roll her eyes she continues. "It wasn't my fault. I pissed someone off pretty good and they decided to redecorate the landscape with my pieces." Noticing Sai's expression, she asks, "Are you okay, Sai?"

Startled, he blinks at her before recovering quickly. "I'm fine, Naruto. I'm sorry you were injured and wonder why the fox hasn't healed you yet."

"Thanks," she replies, her expression softening. "Whoever tried killing me and Genma nailed me with a senbon covered in a paralytic. It affected the fox, so healing was slowed because of it." Naruto's face breaks into a grin. "Guess your people skills haven't gone down so much, so we don't have as much work to do. I'm fine and plan on sticking around to teach you more about feelings."

Shifting uncomfortably under her eager gaze, Sai asks, "Is the attack related to your investigation into the Uchiha massacre?"

While Naruto stares at him in shock, Sai wonders about the strange sensation he's experiencing, that maybe he shouldn't have followed orders.

It takes a few moments for Naruto to remember Sai's in ANBU too and would've heard the gossip within the ranks. Remembering he was in Root, she is reluctant to share too much.

"We aren't sure. It's looking more like someone with a longstanding grudge against me, which is entirely possible in this village."

Sai nods in understanding. "I was also wondering if the dickless fag is serious about staying or if he plans on betraying the village again."

Naruto glares at Sai before growling out, "If you bothered to try getting to know Sasuke, you'd already know that answer. Who he was a few years ago is not the same man who's with us now and he deserves a second chance."

"How can you still defend him?" he calmly asks, surprised she would still defend Sasuke so vehemently. "Why haven't you dumped him as a friend? He abandoned you, our comrades and the village."

"You should know those answers, Sai," Naruto states coldly. "I still believe in Sasuke and he hasn't done anything to change that belief."

"I still don't understand, but I apologize for upsetting you, Naruto," Sai states bowing his head slightly.

"I'm sorry for jumping down your throat, Sai," she sighs wearily. "It's just that Sasuke's been trying so hard and it bugs me when some people don't want to give him the chance to prove himself. Everyone kinda forgets that if Sasuke were out to get the village, he'd have easily done so already without surrendering. He deserves a chance."

Sai nods, remembering Naruto wouldn't give up on anyone if she could help it.

* * *

After lunch Sai escorts Naruto home and they run into Genma and Raido. Smiling widely, she hobbles forward to greet Genma with a kiss.

Breaking the kiss, Genma eyes Sai. "Who's your _friend_?"

Ignorant of Genma's implication Naruto introduces Sai to them, who greets each politely.

"Sai joined Team Kakashi when I got back with Ero-sennin. I ran into him earlier in the Mission Room and since I hadn't seen him in ages I forced him to have lunch with me," Naruto happily explains before remembering something. "Hey Genma, didn't you have an appointment this morning? How'd it go?"

Genma didn't answer right away because he was busy giving Sai the evil eye until Raido smacks him on his good arm to get him to refocus.

"It went well, everything's healing nicely. I should be off of medical leave in another two weeks."

Naruto smiles and opens her mouth to say something when Sai interrupts.

"I've got to get going, Naruto."

Shuffling around to face him she hugs Sai one more time and waves goodbye as he leaves. Turning back to Genma she asks, "Is there a chance of seeing you later tonight? I actually have it off."

Still glaring after Sai, Genma starts shaking his head before looking down at her.

"I'm busy la…_OW_!" He promptly starts rubbing his good arm where Raido smacked him.

"No you're not, don't you _**remember**_ we're meeting Kotetsu and Izumo later for pool?" Raido asks, glaring intensely at Genma.

"Oh, right. I forgot," Genma mumbles, glaring back. "Would you like to go, Naruto?" he asks stiffly.

"Definitely!" Naruto smiles widely. "Usual time?"

"Yeah, I'll stop by to pick you up," Genma mumbles sullenly.

"Great. I better get going," she replies, leaning in for a kiss before hobbling off.

As they walk away in silence, Raido notices the scowl on Genma's face. "Why were you being such an ass to Naruto? Did you have a problem with her having lunch with her former teammate?" When he doesn't answer, Raido keeps pushing. "C'mon Genma, it's obvious it was a friendly lunch between teammates, nothing more. Naruto would never cheat on you."

"Keep your damn nose out of my relationships," Genma growls before stalking off, leaving a stunned Raido to stare after him.

* * *

A couple of days later Naruto runs into Yamato and Sai as they return from a mission one evening. Although she ran into Sai a couple of days before, she is still happy to see him again. Yamato is an added bonus.

"Hey guys!" she calls out happily, hobbling up to them as fast as she can. "How've you both been?"

"Fine," Sai answers, stiffly returning her hug before stepping aside so Yamato could take his turn.

"Good, thanks for asking." Yamato pulls back and eyes her with a concerned frown. "Heard what happened. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Really!" she adds hastily at his disbelieving look. When he relaxes a little she continues. "Have you guys had dinner yet? I'd like to catch up with you two and I'll snatch every opportunity I can to visit with Sai since he's so scarce."

"Sorry, Naruto, I can't. I've got meet someone," Sai states.

"Really? Okay, I'll see you later then," Naruto pouts, waving goodbye to him as he leaves. She then looks at Yamato expectantly.

Chuckling he agrees. "As long as it's not ramen."

Naruto can't help but laugh. "Okay, then how 'bout that new sushi and sake bar?"

"Alright." Yamato watches in interest as Naruto summons a toad to deliver a message to Kakashi.

Looking up, she notices his arched brow and grins.

"Kakashi, Baa-chan and Sasuke have become a clutch of over-protective mother hens and if I don't at least let Kakashi know I'm going to dinner with you, we'll find a squad of ANBU out looking for me. Probably with orders to drag my ass back home pronto."

Shaking his head, Yamato laughs as they walk off together. Once they're settled in at the restaurant, Naruto and Yamato start catching up on the basics with each other. They see each other far more frequently than Naruto gets to see of Sai. However, she is never one to pass up the opportunity to visit with one of her friends.

"So can you tell me the details of what happened to you or do I have to guess from the gossip?" Yamato quips.

Naruto grins before sipping her tea. She remembers how much Genma and Sai knew of the investigation and that Yamato is also in ANBU. Figuring he might as well hear it from her, she decides to tell him.

"Are you aware of what Kakashi, Sasuke and I've been doing?" she asks, setting her teacup down. When Yamato nods she rolls her eyes and sighs. "ANBU are worse than the old gossipy housewives that gather at the local laundry mat every Thursday," she gripes, earning her a laugh from Yamato.

Quietly she begins by giving him the basics of the investigation as they relate to the warehouse attack before sharing their theories. "We suspect the bombing of my apartment may be tied to it even though we hadn't even started the investigation yet. Hell, it happened the same night Sasuke surrendered. But the nature of the attacks and their closeness can't be coincidental," she sighs, shaking her head. "Everything points to a highly skilled Konoha shinobi. So, we're wondering why would they decide to attack me now? Our only answer is that it's tied to the investigation."

Yamato contemplates it. "Agreed, it's very likely the attacks are tied to the investigation. At first glance it'd be easier to dismiss them as someone with a long-standing grudge against you so no one would look deeper. Your attacker may be trying to distract the three of you without it being obvious. Otherwise they'd be going after Kakashi and Sasuke. And in a way they don't need to make attempts on them since hurting you would be sufficient to divert their attention from the investigation," he reasons.

Naruto chuckles. "If that's true, my attackers are putting too much value on my life, as very few people would be sorry if I were taken out."

"You don't put enough value on yourself as the number would be much greater than you think."

Naruto's stunned and blushes slightly. Before she can think of anything Yamato saves her the trouble. "Is the investigation at least progressing despite these _interruptions_?"

"We haven't been able to hit the mother lode yet," she sighs. "We've been finding all these interesting little threads, though. It's frustrating, but we keep hoping if we keep pulling on them they'll unravel and lead us to what's going on. If nothing else the investigation helped get Sasuke off of seeking revenge on the village, maybe forever. This whole thing is pretty murky and his convictions regarding the village's guilt aren't as clear-cut as he thought."

"Sasuke seems to be re-acclimating pretty well considering he just got promoted," Yamato comments.

"That's helped, but he's driven more by the desire to reestablish his clan. That's probably why he was so eager to get the investigation going. There are too many clouds hanging overhead for him to simply proceed with his life."

"That may be Sasuke's saving grace; a clan needs to belong somewhere. And revenge certainly didn't get him the answers he was looking for. If his desire for knowledge hadn't finally won out he may never have come back."

Naruto blinks at him in shock. "I didn't think of that, but it's true."

Yamato nods before asking, "How does Sakura figure into what's going on? Kakashi explained she hasn't been able to be involved and at best has been around sporadically."

"Since she's specializing she hasn't had the time. I'm really glad she's at least interacting with us now. I thought Sakura had kissed off the team for good," Naruto states before noticing something in Yamato's eyes. "What?"

Sighing Yamato reluctantly explains. "I didn't want to mention it before, but when I took over the team for Kakashi, I noticed something was off about Sakura. I couldn't quite pinpoint it, but I was busy keeping an eye on Sai. It kept nagging at me and I could never figure out what it was about her that bothered me." Closing his eyes briefly he pauses to take a deep breath. "You should be wary of Sakura, she's not as genuine as she seems. I didn't want to tell you this earlier because you've always been defensive of your friends. Besides, it became a moot point when the team disbanded. However, now that Sakura is back in your lives you should be careful."

Yamato watches Naruto process his words, preparing for the inevitable vehement defense of Sakura. He doesn't expect what comes out of her mouth next.

"I thought I was reading too much into stupid things," she begins quietly. "Yeah, at the time I never doubted Sakura, but after Sasuke left I started noticing things. I'd catch her in these stupid little white lies, but I blew it off as her being stressed and acting flaky. Sometimes I'd see something odd in her eyes, something sinister. It was easy blaming it on his leaving 'cause it just tossed everything into the blender. It got worse after Sakura became a medic. It felt like she was avoiding me," Naruto shrugs. "I think it was the same for Kakashi, but I haven't asked in case I was just being stupid. I thought Sakura distanced herself because she blamed me for failing to bring the teme back."

"What are your thoughts about Sakura now?" Yamato prods.

"The feeling something is off about is stronger than ever. After everything we've been through I don't want to doubt her. It could just be a simple case of us growing apart," Naruto shrugs again.

"But it isn't, is it?"

Naruto sighs heavily. "I don't know anymore. I catch myself holding back with her. It's not the fox warning me to back off, but something instinctive."

Having long since finished with their dinner and sharing some tea, Yamato escorts Naruto home as they continue their conversation.

"Despite the fox, you should always trust your instincts. If Sakura turns out to be trustworthy after all, then we'll just simply have to apologize later for doubting her. Worst case scenario is we'll have to be quick dodging her fists," he grins, causing Naruto to chuckle. "Otherwise, it's best to err on the side of caution," he finishes seriously.

Another thought occurs to Yamato. "Speaking of the fox, why aren't you fully healed yet?"

Naruto understands what he's referring to. It wasn't long after he began working with Kakashi to train her that they learned she'd been conversing with the Kyuubi. It concerned them a great deal at the time because they were afraid it might try influencing her. Their confidence wasn't exactly bolstered when they discovered she'd been conversing with the demon since the first incident of its chakra leaking out during Team 7's mission in Wave. The fact she hid it for so long made them wonder if the fox was already trying to usurp control. If she hadn't slipped and mentioned it, they would never have known.

Even then she was reluctant to discuss it with them. It took awhile, but Naruto eventually shared the exact nature of her conversations with the Kyuubi. She assured them the fox's nature had changed and was no longer a raging beast. Far from reassured, they kept a close eye on her. Eventually Kakashi and Yamato relaxed about it, but they still kept close tabs on the situation.

Naruto insisted from the beginning the fox mellowed considerably since she first started talking with it. She figured since it was stuck inside her with nothing better to do it had no choice but to talk to and listen to her. She laughingly called it demon therapy, but it seemed to have worked. It helped them reach an understanding and actually develop a good relationship. Naruto explained there weren't a whole lot the Kyuubi could really do against the seal, but by calming it down it stopped trying to escape and inflicting vicious nightmares and painful headaches on her.

Taking a deep breath Naruto begins her explanation. "It's taking the fox time to heal me because of the severity of my injuries. The paralytic I got nailed with really hindered it." At Yamato's concerned frown she smiles reassuringly. "Don't worry, the mangy furball's been calm and continues to help me out."

When his expression becomes questioning she closes her eyes briefly before reluctantly admitting, "It recently taught me how to heighten my senses. That's how I tracked the teme when he disappeared through the hidden passage in the Uchiha compound."

"Why haven't you mentioned this before?"

Naruto thought his tone sounded a little accusing. Groaning in frustration she answers him. "I didn't want you and Kakashi thinking the fox was trying to influence me again. It's bad enough there are still a lot of people around who refuse to separate me from the fox. I didn't want you guys to start doubting me too."

"That isn't the case, Naruto. Just because the demon has become friendlier doesn't mean we should risk lowering our guard. We have to be prepared for all possibilities. You of all people should know that."

Naruto sighs again. "Alright," she reluctantly agrees. "But the fox won't attempt to escape anymore because the seal has changed."

Yamato's shocked expression causes her to smile.

"Don't worry," she reassures him. "It hasn't weakened. I talked with Ero-sennin about it because the moldy furball wasn't stuck behind caged doors in my mindscape anymore. I was suddenly meeting the fox in an open field where it moves freely. It has a collar with the same seal that used to secure the doors. The old pervert said the seal evolved to allow the fox more movement to work with me. It's been in me so long it's deeply entrenched. But, our connection can't be broken now, either by escape or it being intentionally released. Our chakra has blended so much Ero-sennin says we have a symbiotic relationship. It can't survive outside of me anymore and to remove it would kill me. So, even if the Akatsuki do get me, they'll still fail."

Yamato is stunned by this revelation, causing Naruto to laugh.

"Ero-sennin said the Fourth designed the seal to adjust to the ebb and flow of the demon's power. It's probably because of that flexibility the seal evolved, tying us together so we can't survive without the other ever again," Naruto shrugs nonchalantly. "It helped change the fox's attitude so much because it's bound to me permanently whether it likes it or not."

Naruto gives Yamato a few moments to process this information before continuing. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. We only figured this out during Ero-sennin's last visit and with everything being so crazy lately I didn't have the chance. 'Sides, the old pervert asked me not to say anything to anyone. He wanted to research it to see if anything like this happened before. It seems crazy 'cause I'm sure our merging together was NOT what the Fourth intended."

"True," Yamato chuckles, "but it seems like it may be a good side effect."

Naruto nods. "Since then the red rag mop has kinda adopted me, sometimes calling me pup. Still can be a royal pain in the ass, though," she grumbles. "That's why I know the fox isn't trying to take control anymore. It's hard to explain, but it's just how things turned out," she finishes with a shrug.

Yamato considers it. "Time will tell, but we'll still keep an eye on things."

"I know. I haven't forgotten what you told me after I lost control of the Kyuubi fighting Orochimaru on the Tenchi Bridge. You said it was my strength of conviction keeping the fox in line, withstanding the force of its power. That's what has kept it from overpowering me and is probably the biggest key to reforming it."

Reassured Yamato smiles as they approach Kakashi's building.

"Naruto!"

Both turn to see a tottering Genma stagger up before grabbing her into an awkward embrace, nearly knocking her over.

"How ya doing, baby?" He slurs.

Struggling a little to stay upright while shoving him away she growls, "I was fine before your drunken ass showed up!"

She is still seething since they got into a huge fight the night of her lunch with Sai. She still can't believe he got jealous of Sai of all people. On top of that, he implied her friendships with Sasuke and Kakashi were more than platonic. Infuriated at his not so subtle suggestion she's cheating with her friends, she grabbed the cue ball off the pool table and hurled it at him, nailing him in the groin. That was two days ago, but she is still really pissed at him.

"I ain't drunk, baby," Genma protests, raising his arms as if to hug her.

Swatting his hand away, Naruto cuts him off. "Drunk or buzzed, there's no difference. You're not off the hook for the shit you spewed the other night and I don't care to hear anything coming out of your drunken ass."

Bleary eyed, Genma finally notices Yamato. "Aren't I good enough for you anymore?" he slurs, gesturing at the other jounin.

Naruto looks at him like he's grown two heads. "What the hell are you talking about?" she asks before growling in warning, "You better not be thinking what I think you're thinking."

"How can't I not think that?" he asks plaintively. "Every time I turn around you're with another guy!"

Pissed he went there again she snarls, "You're a fucking moron! Go home before I beat the stupidity out of you with my crutches!"

"Not until we talk about our relationship," he declares determinedly.

Naruto rolls her eyes. Before she can reply Yamato interrupts.

"Genma, it'd be a good idea if you go home. You both can talk in the morning when you're both calm," he suggests politely.

"Butt out!" Genma snarls.

Grabbing Naruto by the wrist to drag her off, he forgets she's on crutches and jerks hard, causing her to fall hard to the ground.

Naruto cries out in pain when she lands on her injured side, causing her to curl in over her leg. Genma stares down at her, shocked realization breaking through his drunken fog. Before he can react Yamato knocks him unconscious into a bunch of nearby garbage cans set out by the tenants for collection in the morning.

Worried, Yamato kneels by her side. Gritting her teeth Naruto breathes shallowly while clutching her leg. Carefully he collects her into his arms, intending to take her to the hospital.

"Don't take me to the hospital," she rasps. "It hurts like hell, but it's only aggravated. 'Sides, if Baa-chan finds out she'll really kill Genma. He's an idiot, but he doesn't deserve that. He'll be torturing himself over this once he sobers up." Naruto pauses to take a few deep breaths. "Please, just take me inside, I'll be fine."

Seeing the determined look in her eyes, Yamato sighs heavily. Reluctantly he creates a clone to carry her crutches and carries her upstairs.

Answering the knock on the front door Kakashi is surprised to find Yamato carrying a pain ridden Naruto. He promptly steps aside to let them in.

"I'm sorry for intruding, sempai." Without further preamble Yamato briefly explains what just happened between Genma and Naruto as he carries her over to the sofa. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop Genma," he states after setting her down.

Because of the swelling caused by the fall, they gently remove the splint and carefully prop Naruto's leg onto pillows. She can't help gasping in pain, prompting both men to assemble a couple of ice bags to apply to her leg.

"No need to apologize," Kakashi assures Yamato a few minutes later. "Thank you for bringing Naruto upstairs. Besides, it's Genma who should be apologizing and in a big way." His eye hardens into an intense glare, causing the younger man to shiver.

Feeling the killing intent Naruto rolls her eyes in exasperation. "Cut it out, Kakashi. Genma was being a drunken idiot, but it wasn't like he did it on purpose. Besides, the problem's between us and I've got first dibs on beating him senseless."

Opening his mouth to argue, Yamato is quickly cut off when Kakashi starts flashing through some hand signs.

Noticing, Naruto's eyes narrow. "What the hell are you doing?

"It's just something to help with the pain," Kakashi assures her with a smile.

"Don't. Knowing you it's something to knock me out and someone has to make sure you guys don't retaliate against Genma."

"You've been in ANBU too long. You're too suspicious."

Before she can react Kakashi touches a palm to her forehead, causing her to relax into sleep immediately.

Yamato looks at Kakashi. "That jutsu has nothing to do with numbing the pain, does it?"

"Nope. There's really nothing that can be done for the pain but to wait it out." Pausing in thought, Kakashi continues, "I could give her pain medication, but that involves waking her up. She needs to rest and not worry about inconsequential things."

"Like Genma?" Yamato asks, arching a brow.

"Yep. Would you like some tea before you go?" Kakashi offers.

Yamato accepts with a nod.

"I hit Naruto with a mild sleep jutsu," Kakashi explains while preparing the tea. "It's just deep enough to keep her from waking at the slightest noise for some time. Eventually she'll go into her normal sleep pattern and wake up like usual."

"She's not going to be happy with you for that," the younger man replies knowingly.

"It's for her own good. I wouldn't want her to get worked up while we discuss Genma."

Shaking his head, Yamato grins and agrees. "That's true. However, Naruto specifically warning us against reminding Genma on how a gentleman is supposed to act does complicate things."

Kakashi considers it while setting up and carrying the tea tray over to the table. "It's not a problem since we may not have to say anything to Genma. After all it is between the two of them and they're both adults, they can handle it. However, it'll be hard not to mention the incident when others ask me how Naruto is doing."

Both of Yamato's eyebrows rise in surprise before a grin spreads across his face. "Certainly. After all, Naruto specifically told _**us**_ not to do anything to Genma, but we aren't responsible if Iruka, for example, decides to speak with him _**alone**_."

"Don't forget Yugao. She's basically adopted Naruto as her little sister as well."

"Yugao in particular has become even more protective of those she cares for since Hayate was killed. After all, we have no control as to whom Iruka and Yugao tell as well," Yamato points out reasonably before becoming serious and changing the subject. "I was wondering, sempai. Are you up to date regarding Naruto and the Kyuubi?"

"If it's regarding the evolution of the seal, then yes." At Yamato's nod he continues. "Jiraiya told me about it shortly before Naruto was injured in the warehouse explosion. Apparently they discovered this the last time he came home about two months ago. Sorry about not informing you sooner."

"It's alright," Yamato reassures him, waving it off. "You wouldn't have had the chance considering the circumstances. Besides, I was busy during that time. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of it since Naruto tends to withhold information regarding the Kyuubi," he explains.

"No, I'm glad you mentioned it," Kakashi nodded. "I was upset with her for not saying something sooner, but she apologized for it. It must've come as a big shock to her and Jiraiya probably told her not to mention it in order to give her time to process it," he reasons.

Yamato nods before sighing heavily. "It's too bad we can't just send the Akatsuki a note about it. It would certainly make her life easier, but they wouldn't believe it. They'd most likely persist in capturing her and discover the truth the hard way at the cost of her life."

Kakashi nods and both men look over at Naruto's slumbering form on the sofa, each lost in their own thoughts.


	7. Gradual Adjustments: Chapter 7

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to SilveringBlue who was gracious enough to go back over my earlier mistakes and help me with my tense problems. I've just replaced chapter one and will gradually replace the rest of the edited chapters gradually. Muchas gracias, Blue.

* * *

It is not turning out to be a good day by any stretch of Naruto's imagination. That morning she woke up in her own room with no memory of how she got there. The last thing she remembers is Kakashi and Yamato settling her onto the sofa and her telling her former sensei not to knock her out. That memory only served to confirm he went against her wishes and did knock her out with a jutsu.

To say she isn't pleased would be a severe understatement.

So she spends the better part of the morning taking her annoyance out on Kakashi by badgering him persistently to find out what he did to Genma.

Finally, Kakashi stops cutting up the ham for breakfast to face the fuming redhead sitting at the table in the chair closest to the kitchen.

Boring into her eyes, he firmly states, "I swear I haven't done a thing to Genma. I stayed here the entire night in case you needed anything, Naruto."

Eyeing him dubiously she huffs disbelievingly. "If you haven't done anything to him, then why haven't we seen hide nor hair of him, hmmm?"

"Keep saying 'hmmm' and people will start thinking you're the redheaded, female version of Deidara," Kakashi retorts dryly as he turns back to his chopping, completely ignoring her glare.

"Smartass," Naruto snaps before continuing. "_Anyways_, he'd feel guilty about making me fall last night, but he's not the type to avoid facing up to his mistakes either. So, why hasn't he come around yet?"

"I have no idea," Kakashi mutters as he adds the ham to the omelet he's making. "But you're avoiding the fact you've got a checkup with Tsunade today. Are you trying to get out of it?"

Naruto sighs heavily before admitting, "Falling on my side gave me a really nice, big bruise on my hip and thigh. It's blazing in all its purple, red and blue glory. And there's no way I can hide it from Baa-chan."

"Sounds pretty," he states as he finishes plating their food and carries it over to the table.

Narrowing her gaze, she snarls, "I doubt Baa-chan will appreciate its aesthetic value. The red, mangy demonic mop doesn't want to heal it 'cause too much accelerated healing is bad for me and it's done a lot of that with the other injuries, especially my pelvis. That's why it mostly left the bones in my leg alone, just healing them enough to start the process." She pauses to exhale a frustrated breath. "Anyways, Baa-chan will definitely notice the bruise and make me tell what happened. Then she'll skin Genma alive, salt his hide and use it for an area rug in her office."

"I don't think he'll fit the décor," Kakashi quips, earning himself another heated glare.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto ignores him to sulkily eat the rest of her food, keeping her head down to keep from accidentally seeing his face. It's several minutes before she attempts to continue speaking civilly to him.

"I wouldn't mind seeing Genma in a bruised, shapeless pile because of the shitty way he's been acting lately, but I'm not sure Baa-chan will hold back, or that he can take what she'll dish out."

"Naruto, I don't think you can avoid telling her. She'll only send someone out to get you and drag you in for your appointment if you try missing it. Don't worry about it, everything will be fine."

"Guess you're right," she sighs in resignation.

Seeing she finished eating, Kakashi collects their dishes to carry them over to the sink. Returning to the table, he bends down to scoop her into his arms. He carries her out of the apartment and down to the street before setting her on her feet to hobble the rest of the way to the hospital.

* * *

As predicted, Tsunade immediately notices the bruise during the exam. "What the _**fuck**_ happened to your leg?"

Withering a little under the harsh glare, Naruto unconsciously leans away as Tsunade looms in dangerously. Smiling weakly, she attempts to explain.

"Heh, well, Baa-chan, it's kinda a funny story." Her eyes widen as gold eyes narrow dangerously. "Would you believe it was an accident?" Naruto finishes weakly.

"Yamato was walking Naruto home last night when Genma approached them drunk. He yanked on her arm causing her to fall to the ground," Kakashi interjects helpfully in a cheery tone.

Naruto recoils a little bit at the killing intent radiating off Tsunade before scowling murderously at a still smiling Kakashi.

"Baa-chan, the butthead didn't do it on purpose," she tries soothing the irate blonde.

"How the _**fuck**_ is yanking the arm of someone on crutches _**not**_ doing it on purpose?" Tsunade snaps viciously.

"He forgot because he was drunk, Baa-chan! 'Sides, he did it to me. I get first dibs to beat some sense into his ass."

"Being drunk isn't an excuse," Tsunade growls before turning contemplative. "Maybe I should call him in for a special check up and give him a reminder of how painful it is to aggravate _**existing**_ injuries."

"Baa-chan…" Naruto protests before Kakashi cuts her off.

"Genma will likely feel guilty about his actions toward Naruto, Tsunade-sama." Both women turn to gape at Kakashi with a mixture of irritation and shock as he blithely continues. "Besides, whatever problems the two of them have, they should work out themselves." Tsunade opens her mouth to argue, but Kakashi cuts across her. "You're busy enough without having to get involved in the personal affairs of your shinobi. Plus, it might also look like favoritism," he reasons.

Tsunade sullenly backs down with much grumbling and continues the checkup while Naruto smiles smugly in triumph.

"Take it easy for the rest of the day, gaki. I expect you to report for work in the Mission Room tomorrow," Tsunade states, finishing up the exam. "Shizune also stumbled across some documents that might be relevant to your investigation. She was still compiling them this morning and should have them ready by now. If you two have a few minutes, you can stop by my office in the tower to pick them up."

Kakashi arches a brow and Naruto blinks in surprise at the news before nodding. With Kakashi's help, she slides off the exam table. Once she's ready, Naruto hobbles out of the room with Kakashi walking next to her and follows after Tsunade.

* * *

The trio arrives at the Tower several minutes later. As they make their way through the Mission Room to Tsunade's office, Iruka steps out from behind the desk and approaches Naruto.

"Were you hurt by the fall?" Iruka asks, pulling the baffled redhead into a hug.

Blinking in shock, Naruto stares at Iruka for a moment as she tries processing his words. She wonders how in the hell he knew about her fall since it just happened last night and hadn't seen him yet. Dawning realization lights her eyes before she slowly turns her acid gaze at Kakashi. He innocently peers back at her over the top of his Icha Icha.

Before Naruto can open her mouth, Izumo and Kotetsu enter the room and walk over. Kotetsu immediately snatches her into a hug that nearly knocks her off her feet, earning a sharp smack on the head from Iruka.

"Be careful or you'll knock her down again, baka!" Tsunade scolds.

Releasing Naruto, Kotetsu rubs the spot Iruka nailed. "Sorry," he apologizes sheepishly. "I was just worried about our mascot." At everyone's questioning looks he shrugs and continues. "Not only is Naruto like everyone's kid sister, but she's also like the mascot for Konoha. She's always cheering others on and supporting them."

Naruto's eyes narrow dangerously as she raises one of her crutches up threateningly. "Don't make me bash your head in with my crutches, Kotetsu."

"Leave him alone, gaki. You shouldn't be overexerting yourself," Tsunade smugly scolds with a smirk on her face.

Naruto opens her mouth to retort when Izumo pipes up. "Were you hurt when you fell, Naruto?" he asks before gesturing between himself and Kotetsu. "After work we plan on reminding Genma about the proper treatment of an injured comrade."

Naruto gapes dumbstruck at the duo while Tsunade pipes in, "Naruto was only bruised by the fall. And if I could only get my hands on Genma, he'll be suffering from a lot more than that," she growls, causing some of the others to shiver.

"I'd like to be next, if you don't mind, Tsunade-sama. Followed by Yugao. However, Anko may have already beaten us all to the punch since she's already hunting down Genma," Iruka explains.

Kotetsu groans. "Dammit, Anko's going to be selfish before anyone else gets a chance."

"How the hell does everybody know so fast?" Naruto demands when she finally finds her voice. When no one volunteers to answer and avoids her gaze, she slowly turns to level another icy glare at Kakashi.

Kakashi immediately throws up his hands. "This is the first time I've been out of the apartment today," he assures her.

Opening her mouth, Naruto stops herself when she remembers Yamato.

Kakashi smiles and ruffles her hair. "You said not to retaliate against Genma, not to keep what happened quiet," he points out helpfully.

It's Tsunade's turn to smile smugly in triumph at Naruto.

"Good job, Kakashi," Tsunade nods approvingly while Naruto scowls murderously at him and he continues smiling benignly at her.

"Genma being a forgetful idiot doesn't warrant whatever hell Anko has in store for him," Naruto forces out through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry, gaki," Tsunade waves dismissively. "We have the best medics on staff at the hospital. However, if Anko hurts Genma too badly I'll have to wait on sticking him with guard duty and other _**choice**_ assignments for a while."

Everyone laughs while Naruto continues scowling. The laughter quickly subsides when they notice she appears extremely upset.

"I would've been toast if it weren't for Genma," she succinctly points out in a low voice. "He may be out of line at times, but he's still a damn good shinobi and doesn't deserve this much torture."

"This is why Naruto is Konoha's mascot," Kotetsu declares proudly to the others.

"It isn't fucking funny!" Naruto yells, whirling on him and causing the others to cringe a little. "Why are you guys so hell bent for Genma to pay for one stupid mistake?"

"Naruto, Genma hurt you. Why are you defending him?" Iruka asks calmly, frowning slightly in confusion.

"I'm not!" Naruto snaps. "If anyone bothered paying attention, I'm not defending or excusing what he's done. I'm just trying to keep everyone from going overboard."

"All we're trying to do is to get a little payback for you," Izumo points out defensively.

Snapping her attention to him, she asks, "Since when have I ever wanted revenge on anyone like that?" When no one answers she continues. "And why in the hell would you guys think I'd want you to get that kind of revenge for me, huh?"

After a few moments of silence, Kotetsu starts arguing with her. "Genma crossed the line, Naruto. He needs to be taught a lesson."

"And how many does it take to punish one man for a stupid mistake? Huh, Kotetsu?" Naruto demands then continues without waiting for a response. "The lesson loses it's meaning and takes on a whole different one when it's beaten into the ground like that. I know 'cause I've had enough experience with that shit."

Without another word Naruto hobbles off toward Tsunade's office while a guilty silence settles over the group before Kakashi and Tsunade follow her.

Naruto enters Tsunade's office without giving anyone a chance to open the door for her. She hobbles to stand in front of the desk and waits in tense silence. Having stashed his book away, Kakashi takes his place next to her, watching her out of the corner of his eye as Tsunade settles herself behind the desk.

"Sit down, gaki," Tsunade offers, gesturing at a chair.

Naruto declines with a stubborn shake of her head.

Irritated, Tsunade glowers at her. "Just because you're mad doesn't mean you should be irrational."

"I'm standing 'cause I'm tired and don't intend to stay long," Naruto bites out. "Getting in and out of a chair takes a lot of effort, so it's easier to remain standing."

Tsunade sighs in resignation as Shizune walks in and hands her a file. Before she leaves, Shizune turns to Naruto.

"You weren't injured badly in the fall were you, Naruto?"

Instead of answering, Naruto fires a particularly nasty look at Kakashi as he sighs wearily and closes his eye briefly. Tsunade promptly drops her head into her hand. Glancing between the three and sensing a potentially dangerous atmosphere, Shizune quietly makes a quick exit.

Before anyone else can interrupt, Tsunade picks up the folder Shizune gave her and glances at the contents. After a few moments, she hands it over to Kakashi and begins her explanation.

"Shizune has been transferring old personnel files to the computer, civilian as well as shinobi records. That includes payroll, medical and general information on each individual, whether they're active, retired, missing or deceased. The database originally just covered the last fifteen years. Anything prior to that is stored in paper format and that's what Shizune has been entering into the system. Since we share personnel with the council, she has been working on their files as well. While entering information on several, deceased shinobi, an error message flashed across the screen stating some of the names have active and current payroll accounts with the council. The most intriguing part is that they are all Uchiha."

Tsunade pauses to let the news sink in while Kakashi and Naruto gape in shock. After a few moments she continues.

"Shizune gathered all available information on each shinobi for you to go over as possible leads in your investigation." She pauses again to pin Naruto with a hard glare. "This does not mean to dive right back in. As it is, you may be slowed down further even after you're cleared medically. Although Sasuke has proven himself by adhering to his probation and has successfully become a chuunin, that doesn't mean he's completely won over the remaining rank and file. Part of being a chuunin is being able to work alone or on a team. Until the attitude among the other shinobi changes, he'll have a great deal of trouble on the group missions. So, to alleviate that problem somewhat I'm reforming Team Kakashi."

Naruto blinks as Kakashi mulls over the news before nodding his agreement.

Finding her voice Naruto adds, "It's a good idea, but Sasuke will be the only chuunin on a team of jounin."

"We did the same thing when you returned from your training trip with Jiraiya," Kakashi points out reasonably.

Naruto's only response is an extremely dirty look before turning away from him in a huff. Rolling his eye heavenward, Kakashi sighs again in resignation.

"Sasuke should have little trouble keeping up," Tsunade continues as a distraction. "I'm restricting your team to 'B' and 'C' ranked missions until he becomes a jounin. He will be assigned missions with other chuunin as well to get the rest of the shinobi used to him, but the majority of his missions will be with your team for the time being. We have to see how things progress, but it will also help you two in keeping an eye on him and on the right track. Go home and rest, gaki. You're both dismissed."

The two jounin nod and leave her office in strained silence. Tsunade watches them, wanting to apologize to Naruto, but knowing she isn't ready to accept it yet.

As they walk through the Mission Room, the look on Naruto's face gave a clear warning to anyone thinking of approaching her to stay the hell away. Iruka worriedly watches her from behind the desk, but wisely remains seated, considering possible options of making it up to her later.

As they leave the tower Kakashi attempts to engage Naruto in conversation, but she ignores him. Getting no results, he pulls out his Icha Icha again and continues walking beside her in silence, keeping a close eye on her since she looks drained and exhausted. He offered to carry her to make the trip faster and help conserve her energy, but she only growls in response. Taking that as a 'no,' Kakashi settles back into the silence. She didn't try running him off, so he takes that as a good sign she wasn't too furious at him. The trip is uneventful until they nearly reach their building and Yamato approaches, waving cheerfully and calling out to them. Ignoring him, Naruto continues hobbling on.

Kakashi stops to greet Yamato.

"What's wrong with Naruto?" the younger man asks, frowning in confusion.

Sighing heavily, Kakashi briefly explains what happened that morning in the Mission Room.

Looking alarmed Yamato turns and quickly catches up to Naruto.

"Naruto, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you and didn't realize telling the others would bother you so much," Yamato explains.

Naruto pauses mid-stride for a moment.

"I've already forgiven you because I figured out Kakashi manipulated you into telling everyone," she finally answers in a low voice without looking at him. "I'm still mad at him, but not the rest of you guys. I've already forgiven everyone regardless if they're truly sorry or not. I just don't like that you guys would happily go that far in retaliation for something so stupid."

Without another word, Naruto continues moving toward the staircase of their apartment building.

Having heard everything, Kakashi comes to stand by Yamato as he watches her hobble away.

"I'm probably getting the silent treatment for the next few days. And she just got done being moody about Sasuke too. Now she's back into it full swing," Kakashi grumbles irritably.

Yamato sighs heavily, nodding in agreement. "Do you need any help getting her into the apartment?" he asks as they watch her slowly start maneuvering up the first flight of stairs.

"No," Kakashi declines with a shake of his head. "She'll just refuse our help. I'll make sure she doesn't fall until she becomes too tired to continue climbing and finally lets me help her."

Yamato nods before continuing on his way as Kakashi swiftly catches up to Naruto. Again he offers to carry her, pointing out it'd be faster, but as expected she declines by ignoring him.

Focusing chakra into her right hand to keep from slipping off the railing, she holds both crutches together under her left shoulder as she slowly pulls herself up step by step. She raises her right foot on the step above the one she's standing on and drags herself onto it before placing the crutches on the step. It's a long, arduous process, but she stubbornly refuses to rely on Kakashi. She rests for a few minutes on the second floor landing before continuing on to the next flight of stairs. Reading his Icha Icha again, Kakashi follows sedately behind.

Naruto makes it as far as the third floor, but is reaching the point of complete exhaustion. Refusing to give in, she rests for a few minutes before attempting the fourth floor. She makes it halfway before losing her balance and starts falling backwards. Kakashi instantly scoops her into his arms, carrying her the rest of the way before she can protest. He sets her down once they reach the front door, unlocking it and opening it for her. She quietly thanks him before going straight to her room. Kakashi stares after her as he closes the door.

Later that evening Kakashi sits on the sofa reading. Earlier he tried getting Naruto to eat lunch, only to find her deep in exhausted sleep. He checked on her again a little while ago to see if he could get her to eat dinner only to find her still asleep. He decided to wait until she woke up on her own to see if she felt like eating.

A knock on the front door interrupts his reading, prompting him to get up to see who it is. He's surprised to find Genma standing on the threshold. Kakashi eyes the other jounin in curiosity, unable to decide which is more shocking, the fact Genma appears to be completely unscathed or that he is daring to show his face at his door at all.

Genma interrupts Kakashi's reverie to ask, "Can I come in and see Naruto?"

Arching a brow, Kakashi calmly answers, "She was asleep when I checked on her an hour ago."

Genma's head drops down a little as he closes his eyes briefly. Meeting Kakashi's gaze again he asks, "Would you please go wake her? I'd really like to talk to her. This really can't wait."

Kakashi scrutinizes him for several moments. "If I don't, will you try climbing in through her window?"

Genma shakes his head. "If I can't see her now, I'll just come back again tomorrow. I've already caused enough trouble."

Arching a brow, Kakashi considers the situation before silently stepping aside and gesturing toward the sofa. He then goes down the hallway to Naruto's room to see if he can wake her. Kakashi figures if he's lucky, maybe she'll refocus her ire on Genma instead.

It takes a couple of tries before he's able to rouse an irritable Naruto.

"What the fuck do you want?" she demands irritably.

"Genma's here and wants to talk to you," Kakashi explains quietly.

Naruto stares at him for a moment before closing her eyes briefly. Nodding her agreement she lets Kakashi help her to her feet and onto her crutches. When they reach the front rooms, instead of joining Genma on the sofa she settles herself at the dining room table. Genma joins her while Kakashi heats up a plate of stew for her that he made earlier for dinner. He even offers Genma some. Genma declines, but does accept his offer of tea.

Naruto refuses to look at or speak to Genma, making him break the silence first.

"I'm sorry for being such an ass and causing you to fall last night, Naruto. Were you injured?" he asks, frowning slightly concern.

Naruto glances at him briefly before answering. "I've got a nice big bruise, but nothing else." Genma sighs in relief as she continues. "You're lucky I'm not in the mood to give you a matching one in a very sensitive place," she states succinctly, earning her an audible gulp from the man.

"I'm really sorry, Naruto. I only wanted to talk to you, but wasn't thinking when I grabbed you like that," Genma states sincerely.

Silence falls over the trio again as Naruto picks at her food. Kakashi had joined them at the table with his own food. Naruto didn't ask him to leave and it was his apartment.

She speaks after several minutes. "Why does it take you getting smashed before you decide we need to talk about our relationship?" she asks, pinning Genma with her gaze. When he doesn't answer she continues. "Okay, maybe this one is easier to answer. Why did you think we needed to discuss our relationship in the first place?"

Genma tries stuttering out an answer while glancing nervously at Kakashi.

Fed up, Naruto cuts him off, refusing to cut him any slack. "I've always tried to be open and honest, hoping others will be the same back. I know a lot of people aren't like that. They treat me like something I'm not and don't bother giving me a chance. But of all the lies they say about me, no one has ever accused me of cheating."

Her words capture Kakashi's complete interest as he watches the exchange. Genma continues shifting nervously under his gaze and tries focusing on Naruto. Genma struggles to hold her hard glare as she continues.

"I don't know what the hell would make you think I'd cheat. Especially with my friends, but I don't really care. Whether you believe it or not, I'd _**never**_ do that and I expect the same from you. I care for all my friends. It took me a hell of a long time to find my cherished family and I'm sure as fuck not going to give them up. Not even for you. I'll dump your ass before you can shit. So, if you've a problem with that, tough shit. You need to think long and hard about whether you want to continue in a relationship with me."

Genma guiltily stares into his teacup in silence.

"I'm surprised you're in one piece," she adds after a few moments.

Genma meets her gaze again. "Raido warned me word got out and the others were gunning for me, especially Anko. So we went for a nice, long training session in the forest until things cooled down," he explains as Naruto glances away guiltily. "I already know you didn't put them up to it. Kotetsu and Izumo cornered me earlier this afternoon after we got back. They told me what they had in mind originally, but explained what you told them earlier and how upset you were." Genma glances down into his teacup again before continuing. "I'm not surprised everyone wants my head on a platter. I don't blame them. Even Raido wanted to kick my ass, but thought it was wiser to hide me from Anko instead. I'm surprised Kakashi didn't kill me on the spot when I showed up," he finishes with a smirk.

"I couldn't decide on the method of death," Kakashi states drolly. "Then I remembered that would go against Naruto's wishes and I try to never repeat the same mistakes."

Kakashi's comment elicits a rare, inscrutable stare from Naruto.

Genma draws her attention back to him. "Thank you for standing up for me."

Hearing the surprise in his voice, she asks, "Why are you surprised?"

Unable to adequately answer her, Genma asks a question instead. "Are you still interested in still dating me?"

Arching a brow, Naruto decides not to push him into answering her question and answers. "That depends on you. I'm tired of being jerked around and accused of things I don't do. I give you a lot of leeway and don't demand a thing. Other girls wouldn't do that and you know it."

Genma nods. "I want to continue dating, but maybe I should stay away from you for a few days while things cool down."

"If that's what it takes for you to pull your head out of your ass and clean the shit out of your ears, fine," she retorts as Kakashi chuckles and Genma nods in agreement. "You better cut the crap," she warns. "I don't deserve it and will definitely beat your ass next time."

"I promise to do better. I've got to get going, but I'll contact you in a few days," Genma promises. Rising from his seat he leans in to kiss her before thanking Kakashi for the tea and leaving.

Kakashi sees Genma out and returns to the table as Naruto nibbles on a few bites of the now cold stew. Eventually she breaks the oppressive silence.

"I get you guys care and want to jump to my defense like that. As sweet as that is, I'm still having a hard time getting used to it after going it alone for so long. But the sweetness fades when you guys randomly dismiss me like you guys did earlier. _**You**_ especially." Naruto levels her hard gaze on Kakashi. "You've been doing that a lot lately. First, when I tried understanding you and Sasuke, then when you blew me off when I said don't go after Genma. Granted you and Yamato only told the others what happened, but you knew what would happen. It was just like getting revenge yourselves. Then you played me for a fool when you pretended to back me up with Baa-chan this morning. You used my own words to get her to back down from going after Genma, only to turn me into a great big joke afterwards. If my opinions mean so little, then maybe it's time to get my own place 'cause it's obvious I overstayed my welcome."

Kakashi studies her as she continues picking at the stew. "Sometimes it seems like you tolerate too much. You stand up for yourself, but you'll take things you shouldn't sometimes. We underestimated you, thinking you were letting too much slide."

Naruto finally looks up at him, her gaze a mixture of pain, anger and disappointment. "I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever become Hokage 'cause if you guys still doubt me, how in the hell is anyone else supposed to believe in me?"

Without another word Naruto struggles to her feet and leaves Kakashi alone with his thoughts to return to her room.

* * *

The next morning Kakashi attempts to wake Naruto to get ready for work. He intended to leave her alone, but notices her alarm kept ringing for several minutes. Checking on her, he tries waking her up, but she remains deep in sleep. To his relief, he rouses her a little, but she didn't wake up enough for any suitable coherency. Deciding to let her continue resting, he plans on sending a message to the Hokage that Naruto won't be reporting in to work. Before he has the chance, a messenger arrives with a summons for him from the Hokage. Not wanting to leave her alone, Kakashi summons Pakkun to keep an eye on her. He figures she'll probably continue sleeping, but doesn't want to take any chances.

Several minutes later he reports to Tsunade's office and she hands him another file. As he opens the folder to examine the contents she begins explaining.

"Shizune encountered more names of deceased individuals with active payroll accounts with the council. All of them are shinobi. None of them are Uchiha, but it may still be connected somehow."

"You could've had the messenger deliver this since the documents aren't classified," he states pointedly.

"I thought it was best to continue being discreet," Tsunade replies innocently.

"You just wanted an update on Naruto."

"Shit, busted," Tsunade mutters in annoyance before sighing and asking, "how's the gaki doing?"

Kakashi launches into a brief explanation of what happened yesterday after they left and this morning. He makes sure to mention that Naruto will not be reporting to work in the Mission Room today.

Tsunade looks visibly relieved when he said Naruto had already forgiven her. Then a frown creeps onto her face when he informs her Naruto pushed herself too hard. "I wish for once she'd actually follow my instructions," she grouses. "Shit, I'm not surprised the gaki's doubts about becoming Hokage are resurfacing, though," she finishes wearily.

Arching a brow Kakashi asks incredulously, "She's had these doubts before?

Tsunade nods. "She only started having these doubts recently. With the Akatsuki becoming more aggressive and Sasuke returning to capture her for them, certain members of the council have been pushing to permanently restrict her to the village. The two main proponents are Homura and Koharu. They have the best interests of the village in mind, but they refuse to realize how this affects Naruto."

"How in the hell did Naruto became aware of all this?" Kakashi asks stunned.

"It wasn't from me," Tsunade clarifies. "When Naruto wouldn't cave to their demands, Koharu and Homura took to directly pressuring her to retire. Since she's of age they've been _**encouraging**_ her to find a husband and settle down, explaining she's done more than enough for the village. When she asked them how can she become a good Hokage without sufficient field experience, they told her that maybe she should rethink her priorities because she may not have the strength of character to handle the position."

Kakashi blinks at Tsunade before muttering, "No wonder she was so upset with me."

"With all of us," the blonde corrects him. "We're all guilty."

"No, I'm the one instigated the whole mess, that makes me responsible."

Cocking her head slightly, Tsunade considers it before saying, "That's true, so you better figure out how to fix it."

Kakashi glares at her before saying, "I'll take care of Naruto, but the council is your problem."

Tsunade sighs wearily. "Oh, alright. Koharu and Homura quieted down once Sasuke returned to the village and you two got tied down with the investigation. However, they really started campaigning again when the gaki was injured in the explosion."

"Some of the council should've been happy she was almost killed," he muses.

"The number of people eager to see that happen is much smaller than you think," Tsunade points out. "Most of the council is of the mindset that if Naruto dies the Kyuubi will be released. As a result, they are calling for her to be placed in protective custody and be stashed away in a safe house."

Kakashi stares at her in disbelief as she continues. "Koharu and Homura have even gone so far as to talk to Naruto about it when she was recovering in the hospital, suggesting if she truly cares for the village she'll comply with this for everyone's safety."

Kakashi's expression darkens as he growls, "They're calling for Naruto's imprisonment."

"That was why I severely restricted Naruto's visitors. The only reason they haven't tried forcing the issue is because she is staying with you."

"Then I better get to work on earning her forgiveness," Kakashi sighs heavily.

"Of course the gaki will forgive you," she frowns in confusion.

"Not when she feels like she's overstayed her welcome and is thinking of moving out because she feels I'm being dismissive of her feelings and opinions," he explains.

Tsunade nods her head in understanding. "Well, it'll be better if she remains with you because if the council has their way and she's forced into a safe house, they'll be far more effective in destroying her than the Akatsuki ever could. Do what you can to convince her to continue living with you, Kakashi."

Kakashi nods and leaves her office with the folder tucked neatly under his arm.

* * *

Minutes later Kakashi returns to the apartment and is promptly greeted by an agitated Pakkun.

"Where the hell have you been?" the pug demands.

Looking down at the small dog, Kakashi arches a brow. "In a meeting with the _**Hokage**_."

"I'm good at guarding and tracking, but being a medic is outside my area of expertise," Pakkun grouses.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asks, suddenly rigid with tension.

"Naruto developed a fever and it's been getting worse," the concerned pug explains.

Without another word, Kakashi heads straight to Naruto's room where he finds her wrapped up in sweat soaked sheets and shivering. Reaching out a hand, he can feel the heat radiating off her before even touching her forehead.

"I noticed her temperature rising not long after you left. It was slow going at first, but it started getting worse in the last twenty minutes," Pakkun explains, eyeing the sick redhead worriedly.

Kakashi doesn't answer as he considers his options. He could take her to the hospital, but she won't be happy to find herself back there again. He could send Pakkun for a medic, but they'll probably insist on taking her to the hospital anyway rather than treat her here. The best thing to do is to take care of her and hold off on taking her unless it gets worse. Making up his mind he turns to Pakkun.

"I'll take it from here. If I need you, I'll summon you."

Pakkun nods before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Turning his attention back to Naruto, Kakashi untangles her from the sheets and scrutinizes her appearance. Her leg is swollen again and her skin is flushed from the fever. Placing a palm against her brow before moving it to cup the side of her face, he can tell her fever is already dangerously high. It's risky to bring it down too fast, but he can tell it's already at the point where if he takes too long to reduce it, it'll be life threatening.

Still holding his hand against her face while considering his options, Naruto slowly open her eyes with a soft grunt. Kakashi smiles down at her when her gaze locks onto him. Before he can say anything, she hurriedly scrambles away from him, backing herself into a corner.

Alarmed by her behavior he asks, "Naruto, what's wrong?"

Naruto doesn't answer, instead she attempts to pull her legs close to her chest. She grunts in pain when she tries bending her left leg.

"Naruto, stop before you hurt yourself worse," Kakashi orders, realizing she doesn't recognize him. He remains crouched by her futon to keep from scaring her further.

Unable to bend her left leg, Naruto huddles around her right leg as she continues shivering violently.

"Naruto, it's me, Kakashi," he reassures quietly. "I'm here to help you."

After several minutes Naruto blinks several times and stares at Kakashi uncertainly.

"Kakashi?" she asks hesitantly.

Sighing in relief Kakashi smiles at her and nods.

"Are you going to take me away?"

"What do you mean, Naruto?" he asks, frowning in confusion.

"The fossils on the council want to lock me up so the Kyuubi won't get loose. Are you supposed to do that?" Naruto asks as another violent shiver courses through her.

Remembering what Tsunade told him earlier, Kakashi holds her gaze. "I wouldn't do that," he states clearly.

"Liar!" Naruto snarls heatedly. "I know my talking to the fox worries everyone and no one wants me to become Hokage. Everyone's convinced I'm the beast walking around in human skin. No one wants to believe the fox isn't trying to take over and since they think they can't kill me, then they'll solve all their problems by locking me away." She pauses to curl tighter over her leg as her voice softens. "They'll stick me in a cage and it'll be somewhere deep and dark. No one will miss me and they'll probably throw a big party to celebrate."

"Naruto," Kakashi begins firmly. "I swear I won't let that happen. You know my promises are important to me. Do you remember our mission to protect the bridge builder Tazuna?"

Naruto stares at him blankly for a few minutes before slowly nodding.

"Do you remember my promise not to let my comrades die?"

Slowly she nods again.

"Can you remember me ever breaking that promise?"

This time Naruto slowly shakes her head, prompting Kakashi to continue.

"I want to see you succeed. I know you'll do a great job as Hokage. I'm not going to let anyone take that away from you." Kakashi pauses to take a deep breath before quietly adding, "I'm sorry for making you think I doubted you."

Emotionally wrecked from the fever Naruto couldn't stop the tears as Kakashi eases closer and slowly engulfs her in a hug. He immediately notices her shaking becoming worse.

"Naruto, your fever is too high and we have to bring it down quickly. The best way is for you to take a bath," he explains quietly.

Unable to speak Naruto nods against his shoulder, allowing him to carefully lift her into his arms and carry her into the bathroom.

Settling her down on the rug to lean against him, Kakashi reaches over and turns on the tap. After setting the water to slightly warmer than room temperature, he pushes the built in plug on the drain in before proceeding to remove Naruto's clothes. On the verge of passing out again, she's too overcome with the fever to notice.

Leaving her underwear on, he gently lifts her up and carefully lowers her into the filling tub. Naruto instantly begins thrashing around in his grip, crying out in pain when her hyper sensitive skin touches the water. Kakashi leans further over the side of the tub and presses her head against his shoulder, speaking soothingly to her. It takes a few minutes until her sobbing subsides and she stops struggling against him. Looking down he notices she passed out, simplifying his task. Adjusting her body until she's submerged up to her neck, Kakashi supports her head with one hand as he reaches in a nearby cabinet for a washcloth. Soaking it he starts wetting her head with it.

As he gently wipes her flushed, whiskered cheeks with the towel he thinks about everything that's happened lately. He recalls how upset she was with him and Sasuke because they wouldn't help her understand how Sasuke could feel so disconnected with the village. Thinking back on it now, he realizes she understood more than they gave her credit for. She may not understand the circumstances both men grew up in, but she knows their loneliness better than anyone.

Reaching out again he turns off the water before resuming his ministrations and musings.

In retrospect, they are the ones who didn't understand her. Sasuke made a comment recently that he couldn't understand why she is still dead set on becoming Hokage. The village has always treated her poorly, yet she'll lay her life on line for them. Kakashi smiles ruefully at the memory because Sasuke actually hit the nail right on the head. They can never really understand can they? Both of them lived through hell and survived it, yet she's still living in hers. Yes, it's improved a great deal, but it hasn't ended has it? Yet, she refuses to complain about it and continues doing what she can to help those she cares about, even when they hurt her. Kakashi sighs into the stillness, realizing that's why she puts up with Genma.

Actually, it's why she puts up with all of them, especially him.

Checking her forehead it feels like the fever is going down. Kakashi decides to leave her in the water for a few more minutes just in case. Picking up the washcloth again he continues brooding.

Naruto understands Sasuke better than she realizes. If anyone has the right to become an avenger, it'd be her. Yet, that's the one thing she never for one moment considered. She could've easily succumbed to the power of the Kyuubi years ago and taken her vengeance out on the village. Perhaps that was the driving force behind her efforts to stop Sasuke from becoming an avenger; she already knew it would lead to nothing.

Kakashi slowly shakes his head in resignation as he pulls the plug on the tub and grabs a bath sheet out of the cabinet. Lifting Naruto out of the draining water, he wraps her in the huge towel, cocooning her in the fluffy terry cloth.

As he carefully pats her dry he thinks about how upset she was because they wanted to get back at Genma for hurting her. He knew damn well she didn't want him to retaliate against Genma, but he didn't give a shit. It really wasn't any of his business and Naruto made it clear she'd take care of it. She was right, he didn't think she was capable of handling things and didn't give her enough credit.

Carefully tucking the towel around her, Kakashi carries her into his room and lays her on the bed. Going into her room, he digs out a t-shirt, a pair of shorts, a bra and underwear for her from the drawers. Returning to his room he props her into a sitting position against his chest and repositions the towel where it's loose enough, yet still covers her body. Without looking, he unclasps her wet bra and replaces it. Grabbing the t-shirt next, he slips it on over her head. Laying her flat on the bed he readjusts the towel to cover her lower half before removing her panties and dressing her in a dry pair and shorts.

Once finished, he covers her with a chenille throw he keeps on his bed before grabbing the towel and wet garments and carrying them into the bathroom to spread them out to dry. Grabbing a smaller towel he returns to his room and positions her head and shoulders across his lap so he could finish drying her damp hair. Picking up her hairbrush he brought with him, he gently brushes the tangles out of her hair. Once finished he stretches her out on his bed again and tucks the throw around her. Staring down into her serene face, he reaches out and gently caresses her cheek.

He doesn't want to care because it means another person for him to lose; yet here she is forcing him to do exactly that. She deserves better than him, but will stubbornly cling to him like static. Silently he vows to do better and to continue protecting her and her dream.

* * *

Naruto wakes up later that evening. Blearily glancing around, her eyes widen in alarm because she isn't in her room. Attempting to sit up, she feels the world shift and the room begins lazily rotating around her. With a groan she squeezes her eyes shut and drops back onto the pillow.

"How are you feeling?" Kakashi asks, entering the room.

Daring to briefly crack one eye open she succinctly replies, "Like shit."

Kakashi moves to settle on the bed next to her. "You've been feeling like that a lot lately."

Naruto opens both eyes to glare at him.

"And you've been doing that a lot too," he cheerfully comments.

Not feeling up to fighting, she snorts and rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Why am I in your room?"

"You had a high fever earlier and soaked your bedding with sweat. Your fever needed to be brought down and I thought you'd be more comfortable in a dry bed after your bath."

Dumbstruck Naruto gapes at him. "You gave me a _**bath**_?" she slowly asks in horror.

Kakashi cheerfully nods. "Since your clothes were also soaked with sweat I had to change you, including your underwear. I didn't know you preferred thongs so much," he muses thoughtfully. Leaning in closer he adds, "Did you know it seems your freckles completely disappear when you turn that shade of red?"

Dismayed and horrified, Naruto groans and yanks the throw over her head.

Chuckling Kakashi pulls the throw back from her face. "I managed to do it without peeking. Although I felt in the mood for rereading the latest Icha Icha afterward."

Naruto grabs a pillow and covers her face mumbling, "Too much information!"

Yanking the pillow away Kakashi smiles down at her. "Are you hungry?"

She didn't hesitate to answer, "Fuck yeah, I'm starving!"

"Do you feel up to sitting at the table?"

Naruto considers it for a few moments. "I can, but I'm not sure I can walk to it."

Without missing a beat, Kakashi startles her by picking her up and carrying her into the other room.

Once she's settled in at the table he asks, "Is it all right if dinner is leftover stew? I was busy washing your bedclothes in case you wanted to sleep in your own futon tonight to make anything else."

"I don't care," she shrugs. "And thanks for washing my stuff."

Kakashi smiles as he walks into the kitchen and quickly heats their food up. A few minutes later he settles himself into the chair next to Naruto after setting their food down. They ate in silence for a while before Kakashi finally breaks it.

"I'm sorry."

Naruto stops eating and stares at him.

"I understand why you were upset at me. I had no right to ignore your feelings," he states solemnly, meeting her stunned gaze. "I will keep my promise."

Baffled Naruto blinks with a slight frown on her face.

"Don't you remember earlier?" Kakashi asks chuckling.

It only takes a moment for her remember and start blushing furiously again.

Kakashi leans in closer, carefully scrutinizing her face. "Now I'm certain. Your freckles do disappear when you blush that hard."

Ignoring her blush, Naruto narrows her eyes and smacks his arm. Recovering slightly she sullenly mumbles about keeping her big mouth shut the next time she has a fever.

Kakashi cocks an eyebrow. "That seems to be the only way you share what's really bothering you."

Before Naruto can respond, he briefly tells her about his meeting with Tsunade earlier that day and asks why she didn't tell them the council was pressuring her.

Naruto sighs and stares down at her plate. "Everyone has their own problems. It wasn't really important and I didn't want to whine about it."

"We all care about what happens to you," Kakashi states pointedly. "That's why we wanted to kick Genma's ass for hurting you."

Looking at him icily she snaps, "You're one to talk. You're not exactly one to share much of yourself. Hell, anyone's lucky to get more than your name when they first meet you."

Kakashi smiles. "True, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon."

Naruto rolls her eyes. "Yeah, one can hope."

"Are you still thinking of moving out?" he asks, becoming serious.

Naruto's gaze drops briefly to her plate. "I don't know. Ignoring our fights, I know I'm encroaching on your privacy. I can't lie and say I don't miss having my own place."

"It may be better if you continue living here. We still don't know who's trying to kill you and Tsunade-sama says you staying with me has shut the council's mouth on the topic for now," Kakashi points out.

Naruto sighs softly. "Then that's the answer right there."

Kakashi smiles. "Good, it'd be too quiet without you."

* * *

A/N: Ah, Genma, Genma, Genma. Just so you guys know, I'm not trying to make Genma evil in this. Most of you already caught on that's he's a decent guy who has a tendency to be a jerk at times. Naruto should know better, but I'm basing her attitudes and reactions toward Genma's behavior off of real life people I know. I can think of three who you'd shake your head and wonder why in the hell they would put up with someone like Genma. But they do until they finally wise up. Besides, Naruto's stubborn and isn't willing to give up on him yet. Silly girl.


	8. Gradual Adjustments: Chapter 8

**A/N**: I've got to sincerely apologize for taking so long to update. I actually had this chapter mostly ready with the exception of fluffing it up and filling it out some. However, I had imposed a personal restriction on myself not to update. I made some promises to other people to help edit and/or beta for them. I apparently have a problem saying no. Couple that with my own time management issue and you can certainly imagine my dilemma. Until I caught up, I refused to update. It's not fair to keep others waiting just to work on my own stuff. Well, I caught up or got better qualified help for the writers I made promises too. So, now that I'm free, I could lift my restriction. I know how annoying it is when you get into the rhythm of expecting updates at a certain time, so I'm sorry for those who've become interested in my story and have patiently waited for this update.

I dedicate this chapter to all my readers who've either reviewed, stuck this in their story alerts or favorited me in some way. Thank you to everyone for being patient.

I do want to add one other quick note, be prepared to hate a bit on Genma. He was a bit of a bad boy and you'll see why. I don't doubt I'll get some fun rants to basically flay his fanny alive! Enjoy!

* * *

Four weeks, Naruto determined, qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment.

She may not be medically trained, but in her humble opinion it should not have taken four weeks since the chuunin exams to heal. However, Tsunade's anal-retentive standards couldn't be reasoned with, especially when backed up with promises of violence and particularly vindictive punishment details.

So to Naruto's immense joy, the glorious day arrives and she is finally taken off medical leave. Not that she spent the time completely idle. Even if her training schedule was completely shot to hell, she spent much of her medical leave following leads with Kakashi and Sasuke. Diligently they traced the names of the Uchiha co-owning supposedly active businesses, discovering they all have active bank accounts.

It took nearly three solid weeks in stuffy storerooms, digging through musty smelling files to find any significant information on any of the names. Since Sasuke made chuunin he had the clearance to look through these files with Kakashi and Naruto.

They didn't discover much besides spiders and dust bunnies, though. They did learn the paychecks of the shinobi on their lists were deposited into accounts bearing the deceased's name, but as with the bogus businesses, they kept ending up at dead ends. To the three shinobi's irritation, the accounts were closed within the last few weeks and the funds diverted. The same held true for the civilian co-owners of the bogus businesses. The paperwork on these accounts is missing too.

Naruto, Kakashi and Sasuke shifted their focus to the additional names uncovered by Shizune. Most of the shinobi listed were either Uchiha or from civilian families with no ties to any ninja clan. The few that didn't fall under either classification were orphans with no known relatives, making researching any family connections impossible.

It increasingly frustrated them. Obviously someone is closely tracking their movements, staying a step ahead. Granted a lot of people are aware of their investigation into the Uchiha massacre, but they kept exactly what they've been doing pretty quiet. All three of them came to realize whoever they're dealing with is very astute and figured out their moves.

Once Naruto got her clean bill of health, she and Kakashi head straight to Sasuke's home. Reviewing their investigation so far reminds them that they are running out of options.

Sighing heavily, Kakashi leans back in his seat with his arms crossed. "Perhaps we need to shift our focus and take a closer look at the Uchiha family documents."

Sasuke's narrowed eyes snap to his silver haired sensei. "Those documents can only be seen by Uchiha eyes. Besides, I've already gone through them and found nothing," he huffs.

A sudden, sharp pain throbs on the side of his head as he turns to glare back at the glaring redhead.

"Quit being an ass to Kakashi!" Naruto hisses as he sullenly rubs his scalp. "He's not trying to steal family secrets, he's trying to uncover the truth. Sometimes you ignore the little details when you deem it unimportant. You could've missed something. So, stop being a prick and let us have a look."

Sasuke glares off to the side before grudgingly mumbling out an apology and agrees to let them see his clan files. Kakashi and Naruto blink at him in shock, as this is the second time they can remember him ever apologizing for anything.

Sifting through the Uchiha clan documents proves to be a long laborious process. The records are in good order, but due to the size of the clan the sheer volume of work is overwhelming to Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke. Plus, the trio has their regular duties as shinobi to keep up with. Tsunade simply needs Naruto and Kakashi frequently for missions either as jounin or ANBU.

Now that Sasuke is a chuunin he also has certain requirements to meet as well. Sasuke thought they'd already be out on missions together to help him fulfill his requirement so he can apply for jounin. To his consternation, he forgot his duties include a lot of grunt work, such as being the Hokage's secretary (much to Tsunade's malicious glee), working in the Mission Room and teaching at the Academy.

Naruto and Kakashi are sadistically amused at the idea of Sasuke teaching a classroom full of snot-nosed, wannabe ninja. Both badger Tsunade to schedule Sasuke's first day when they'll both be around to spy on him. Tsunade agrees on the condition they give her a detailed report on what happens.

Being a former member of the Akatsuki and Orochimaru's apprentice didn't prepare Sasuke for the hell that is the Academy. For the first time in years, Kakashi and Naruto find their stealth skills sorely tested, as it proves extremely difficult to remain hidden and not bust out laughing. Both find it hilarious to see the usually stoic, unflappable Uchiha looking like a goldfish stuck in a pond full of piranhas.

As a sensei, Sasuke couldn't remain silent, answering questions as succinctly as possible. He had to actually talk, in long lectures, for _hours_.

It didn't help he unintentionally wins over a new generation of fan girls, resulting in alienating a majority of the male students. For once in his life, Sasuke felt way out of his league and there's nothing he can do about it because he's required to fulfill a certain number of hours teaching for the next six months. Since he began teaching, Naruto and Kakashi took to calling him Sasuke-sensei, or in Naruto's case Teme-sensei, much to his irritation.

Within a few months Team Kakashi is officially reformed. They had to wait until Sakura finished her current rotation at the hospital so she can leave without any adverse effects on her advanced medical training. While they waited, Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi met frequently for training. Tsunade arranges Sakura's schedule so she's available at least three times a week for four hours to train with them.

Kakashi didn't teach them any new jutsu, stating they are already so well trained it isn't necessary. His former students just rolled their eyes at him. Naruto quips that he just didn't want to bother teaching them so he can read the latest Icha Icha. Kakashi's only response is a knowing grin.

Instead, Kakashi focuses on making all their varied skills blend well together. Since they haven't worked together in so long and individually their skill sets are completely different, he believes it can become a liability during a heated battle. Kakashi explained to them at the start of their training that although the team has been reformed for Sasuke's benefit, they'd likely be given more 'A' ranked missions since the rest of them are jounin and Sasuke's skills are at least comparable. They'll need to become familiar with each other's skills again to the point of fluidity.

Team Kakashi is ready by the time Tsunade begins assigning them missions. She starts them out simply, giving them courier and information retrieval missions to see how they'd do. Once it became clear they are more than up to snuff, they get more challenging missions worthy of their experience.

* * *

As busy as they all were, Naruto, Kakashi and Sasuke manage to continue with the investigation. When October tenth rolls around, Naruto asks Sasuke and Kakashi if they could meet earlier that day than usual. She wants to be finished before nightfall.

Kakashi surprises Sasuke by showing up early that day for once before Naruto arrives.

Shrewdly eyeing his team leader as he steps across the threshold into the living room, Sasuke finally states, "You're here early."

As Sasuke closes the door, Kakashi settles onto the sofa with a small shrug. "Naruto wanted to be done early."

Crossing the room, Sasuke settles into an armchair. "It's odd she wanted to meet so early." When Kakashi stares at him like he had two heads, Sasuke arches a brow, asking, "What?"

Kakashi merely shakes his head before stating, "Because it's the tenth of October."

"So?"

"It's her birthday."

Sasuke narrows his eyes. "So she wants to go out and party?"

Incredulous, Kakashi stares at him momentarily before finally saying, "No, she wants to be off the streets before nightfall."

The silver haired jounin resists the urge to smack the confused look off Sasuke's face, choosing to carefully explain the situation to his dense, former pupil. "Haven't you been paying attention?" he asks. Ignoring the younger man's glare he continues, "Naruto is the Kyuubi container and as such is already hated by a lot of people. It's worse for her on her birthday since it's also the anniversary of the attack. Usually she tries to be gone on a mission around this time, but Tsunade-sama didn't have anything for her. Naruto even went so far as to check this morning and still nothing."

Frowning slightly, Sasuke ponders this revelation before stating, "That means she's going to hide herself at home."

"Probably not," Kakashi answers with a slight shrug. "Even though she's no longer living in her own apartment, too many people know where she lives. In order to avoid trouble she plans on disappearing for the night."

Blinking in surprise, Sasuke asks, "Why doesn't she just spend the night at Ino's or Iruka's? Hell, she can even stay here."

"Every year we all try convincing her to stay with one of us, but she won't accept our offers. One year she stayed with Iruka, but someone tried firebombing his house later that night. Since then she refuses to put anyone else at risk."

"I understood no one gave her that sort of trouble anymore," Sasuke murmurs thoughtfully.

"No one ever really gives her much trouble to begin with and such incidents are rare," Kakashi continues explaining. "However, the anniversary stirs up memories of the attack. Once some villagers get some alcohol in their system they try seeking out what they perceive to be the source of their pain, Naruto. We've noticed that nothing seems to happen, not even to her apartment, when she's gone on a mission. Since that couldn't happen this year, Tsunade gave her the entire week off to keep a low profile. I've been training with her in the forest and she wants to camp out there tonight, so I'll be camping with her."

Sasuke considers his words for a few minutes. "If the dobe is going to be stubborn and refuse my offer of staying here tonight, then I'm going too." He couldn't resist smirking at Kakashi's surprised look. "I did say I'd try working on my teamwork."

Forty-five minutes later Naruto shows up, apologizing profusely for being late.

"Did you encounter any trouble?" Kakashi asks.

"No. Iruka can't make it for the picnic tomorrow and he wanted to celebrate my birthday over ramen today," she explains, settling into a chair at the kitchen table where Kakashi and Sasuke linger over tea after lunch.

Tilting his head in confusion, Sasuke asks, "What picnic?"

Naruto glances at him in surprise. "Didn't Ino stop by to invite you? 'Cause she said she would."

Sasuke looks slightly embarrassed before reluctantly admitting, "I didn't answer the door." At her glare, he narrows his eyes, adding, "I wasn't in the mood for visitors and Ino would've kept me at the door for hours catching up on the latest gossip."

Naruto sighs and concedes his point, explaining, "Ino's insisting on celebrating my birthday, so we compromised on having a picnic tomorrow. Nothing fancy, just most of the rookies and a few other people like Kakashi and possibly Ero-sennin."

"Why possibly Jiraiya?" Kakashi asks, cocking his head inquisitively.

"He won't go unless Baa-chan goes and she may not make it unless she can sneak away from Shizune." Naruto explains. "Besides, Ino told him there wouldn't be any girls in bikinis."

Sasuke arches a brow. "It's the middle of October."

Naruto nods. "This is Ero-Sennin," she states like that explains everything. "In fact, he suggested to Ino the picnic be held in the bathhouse." Naruto just shrugs in response to their dumbstruck expressions.

"Will Gai be there?" Sasuke watches Kakashi out of his peripheral vision.

"Probably, but Ino won't say for sure."

"Because she knows I won't show up if Gai does," Kakashi mutters.

Sasuke couldn't resist smirking. "I thought you were youthful rivals."

Kakashi's only answer is a particularly nasty glare.

Grinning Naruto jumps in before violence breaks out. "It's just that Gai will probably spend the entire time challenging Kakashi. Unfortunately, he _is_ Ino's husband and it's unlikely he'd miss such a youthful event."

Sasuke just rolls his eyes, effectively ending the argument and they quickly get to work.

They spend the rest of the afternoon organizing and reviewing the information they've collected so far. As the sun starts sinking on the horizon, Kakashi and Naruto prepare to leave when there's a knock at the front door. To their surprise, Gai, Ino and a sulky Shikamaru are standing on the stoop.

Upon seeing Naruto, Gai grabs immediately her into a suffocating hug and drags her through the door, proclaiming, "Since it is your 21st birthday, you should be out celebrating it!"

As Naruto pries herself from Gai's grasp, Ino apologizes profusely. "I'm so sorry, Naruto! I was only reminding him not to go off on some ridiculous training session tomorrow because we're celebrating your birthday. I didn't think he'd remember it was really today and insist we take you out to dinner."

Finally free of Gai, Naruto straightens out her clothes. "That's really sweet, guys, but I can't. I'm not going anywhere in the village tonight."

"I told you she didn't want to go out to dinner," Shikamaru mutters to Gai.

Kakashi leans in to whisper in Naruto's ear, "Shunshin out while you still can."

Before Naruto can escape, Gai scoffs and grabs her arm in an iron grip. "It is not every day someone turns 21. It must be celebrated!"

"Too late," Sasuke mumbles as Kakashi and Shikamaru nod in agreement.

As they walk towards the restaurant, Gai keeps an arm firmly around Naruto's shoulders. She makes several, valiant attempts to escape, but she's no match for the Green Beast. Sighing in resignation that tonight is not going to end well, Naruto avoids looking anyone in the eye as they pass by while Gai rambles on about how much she's grown. The others try helping her, but Gai just can't be dissuaded.

Shikamaru quietly explains to Sasuke and Kakashi what triggered Gai. "I stopped by the flower shop earlier and was discussing the picnic with Ino when Gai showed up. He overheard part of our conversation and asked about the picnic, so Ino reminded him it was for Naruto's birthday. That's when he got it in his head we had to celebrate today," Shikamaru pauses to sigh heavily. "We tried explaining why Naruto didn't want to be anywhere in the village tonight, but that man has selective hearing," he grumbles, causing Kakashi to nod knowingly. "We're going to have dinner at a bar and grill near the flower shop. The ladies restroom has a window big enough for Naruto to sneak out of. Ino will somehow let her know. It's up to us to distract Gai long enough for Naruto to escape."

Kakashi and Sasuke nod their approval of the plan.

"It's too bad Lee's out on a mission," Shikamaru adds. "He would've been able to distract Gai long enough for Naruto to get away sooner."

Everyone, except Gai, notice the glares, the mutterings and pointing at Naruto. Stuck in Gai's vice grip, all she can do is keep her head down and wish she knew an invisibility jutsu.

When they're almost to the restaurant they run into Kotetsu and Izumo. Curious they ask where they're all going.

Before anyone can tell them discreetly, Gai declares loudly, "We are celebrating Naruto-chan's birthday!"

Everyone except the three men notice his outburst attracts a lot of unwanted attention. Naruto drops her face into her hand, wishing she was an earth element and could bury herself underground.

"I didn't know it's your birthday, Naruto," Kotetsu states in surprise as he grabs her into a hug.

Izumo smacks him on the head. "I reminded you the other day!"

Kotetsu rubs his head after releasing Naruto. "I forgot!"

"Do you two wish to join us for dinner?" Gai asks, grabbing a hold of Naruto's arm again to prevent her escape.

Kotetsu and Izumo look at each other and shrug.

"We planned on just going to hang out at the Zodiac and shoot pool in case Raido and Genma came back from their mission early. Sure, why not?" Kotetsu states as they join the group.

Noticing Naruto's grim expression, Izumo falls back a little to fall in step besides Kakashi. "What's wrong with Naruto?"

"Gai," Kakashi replies.

Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru expands on the succinct explanation and briefly tells Izumo why. Glancing around, Izumo quickly notices the reaction other people are having to Naruto and starts becoming concerned for her safety as well.

Soon they reach the restaurant and are seated at a long table. The bar area is located on the other side of the dining area. Gai sits on one side with Ino to his right and Naruto to his left. Kotetsu sits on Naruto's other side, trapping her between the two men. Kakashi got the seat at the end of the table while Sasuke, Izumo and Shikamaru filled out the other side. Gai continues rambling exuberantly on with additional input from Kotetsu, while the rest surreptitiously monitor their surroundings. They didn't fail to notice the other patrons' glares and mutterings directed at Naruto.

A waitress approaches and starts taking their drink order. She frowns when she sees Naruto, but doesn't say anything negative. Those aware of the situation keep trying to give Naruto a chance to escape, but no one can seem to get a word in edgewise to distract Gai long enough. Ino tries slipping the redhead a note only to be thwarted by Gai's wild gestures.

Finally their drinks arrive, delivered by another waitress who informs them she'll be their server the rest of the evening.

"I have to go to the ladies room," Ino declares as she jumps up and grabs Naruto's arm to drag her along.

"Why do you both have to go?" Kotetsu asks in confusion.

Placing a hand on her hip, Ino arches a brow. "Haven't you ever noticed that women never, _ever_ go to the restroom by themselves?" Not bothering to wait for an answer, she pulls Naruto along with her toward freedom.

"Thank you," Naruto leans in to gratefully whisper as they walk away.

The blonde smiles brightly and starts telling her about the bathroom window as they pass near the bar area. Before she finishes, a bottle flies at the back of Naruto's head. Instinctively dodging it, both women whirl around and face a small group of irate men and women.

"What the fuck's wrong with you?" Ino demands. Next to her, Naruto sighs in resignation, already knowing the answer.

A man points accusingly at Naruto. "The demon is the problem!"

As the rest of the patrons nod and declare their agreement, the rest of their group protectively surround Ino and Naruto.

"Naruto isn't a demon. How can she be a problem when all she is doing was walking to the restroom?" Kakashi asks indifferently.

"It's insulting to see that monster walking around today without a care in the world!" another drunk yells.

"Naruto's not a monster," Shikamaru repeats. "She's minding her own business, so you have no right to take offense at her actions."

"She's a murderer! A hell of a lot of people died today because of her!" their first waitress snarls.

As the accusations continue flying, Ino grabs a distressed Naruto's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"It's a known fact the Kyuubi caused all the death and destruction, not an hours old infant," Sasuke calmly states, leveling his best glare.

"The Uchiha traitor needs to mind his own goddamn business, or does he like playing with trash that much?" another drunk spits.

Sasuke takes a threatening step forward, but Naruto stops him by grabbing his arm. "Please don't. It'll only make things worse."

Sasuke shakes her hand off and turns his glare back onto the crowd.

"Please, don't start any trouble," the manager pleads, rushing between the two groups squaring off.

"We are simply minding our own business, enjoying a simple celebration. We are not interested in causing trouble, only in being left alone," Gai explains to the manager.

Listening to the continued angry mutterings from the other customers, the manager turns back to Gai. "I'm sorry, sir, but I must ask you to leave."

"What the hell? We haven't done anything wrong!" Kotetsu protests.

With his hands clasped in front of him, the manager looks directly at Naruto. "I don't have any problems personally with you, but unfortunately your presence is upsetting a lot of people. You are more than welcome to return another day. In fact, if you wish to bring your friends along, your entire meal will be free, but please leave."

"We'll leave," Naruto quietly agrees without hesitation.

Gai starts protesting, but she just holds up her hand to stop him. "If we stay there will be trouble. It's better to just go."

Without giving anyone else a chance to respond, Naruto starts walking toward the door when another patron steps to the front of angry crowd.

"I was on the field fighting the demon that night alongside my son," he begins, his voice shaking with emotion as Naruto turns around to face him. "I returned from the field, but my son didn't. I returned home afterwards, expecting to spend the rest of the night consoling my wife, my son's widow and their child only to find my home destroyed. They later found what was left of them in the rubble. How can you live with yourself?" the man demands with tortured eyes.

Hushed silence falls over the room as one group continues glaring angrily while the other stare at her solemnly. No one moves for several minutes until Sasuke finally breaks the silence. "How can you blame her for something she didn't do?"

His question triggers a litany of angry shouts and insults between the two groups. Unable to bear hearing anymore, Naruto Shunshins out before anyone can stop her.

Naruto keeps mostly to the shadows and back alleys, avoiding people as much as possible. Eventually, she finds her way to the Academy. With her head buzzing with thought and emotion she enters the yard, immediately heading to the swing. Easing into the seat, she gently sways back and forth, letting the motion soothe her.

"Are you okay?" a familiar voice, interrupts her thoughts.

Startled, Naruto looks up as Genma strolls over. Before she can respond, he crouches down in front of her, gently placing his hands over hers, which are still clutching the ropes of the swing.

Naruto smiles softly, leaning over to kiss him. "Glad to see you got back safe." She tastes alcohol in his kiss, but decides not to comment on it. "How'd it go?" she asks instead.

A dark look flits briefly across his face. "It went alright. Are you okay?" he repeats.

"I'm fine," Naruto replies, trying to smile reassuringly. "But it'll be better once the night is over."

Genma scrutinizes her, his expression unreadable. "You've certainly had a lot of help with that."

"What are you talking about, Genma?" she asks, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"Don't bullshit me, Naruto," Genma snaps, his grip over her hands tightening a little. "You've certainly become popular with some of our comrades. I saw you happily walking together earlier."

Naruto's eyes widen slightly in surprise before narrowing in realization at what he is hinting at. "You better not start with the fucking cheating crap again!" she hisses. "You said you probably weren't making it back tonight and if you did it'd be too late for us to do anything together. Besides, it wasn't my choice, Gai insisted on dragging me to dinner."

"Didn't look like you were unhappy about it with his arm around you," Genma sneers.

"Better lay off the booze, Genma," Naruto snarls. "It activates your stupidity gene and causes hallucinations 'cause you're imagining things that don't exist!"

Yanking her hands out from under his, Naruto shoves him hard, causing him to fall backwards on his butt. Before she can even get up Genma pounces on her, causing to fall backwards onto the ground with a grunt.

Genma pins her wrists down by her head and settles his body on top of hers as she struggles underneath him. "Why the fuck do you keep blowing me off like that?"

"I'm not blowing you off, dumbass," she grunts in aggravation as she struggles to pull her hands free. "I won't talk to you when you're being an asshole!"

Naruto drives a knee home into his groin, causing him to grunt in pain. Taking advantage of his distraction, she rolls him off and scrambles to her feet. She stalks halfway across the yard before she feels a sharp pain in her back and her legs fall out from under her. She falls forward, hitting the ground hard with a grunt. Lifting herself up slightly, she reaches around and feels a senbon needle jutting out of her spine.

Naruto can't feel anything below her waist. Cursing under her breath, she grips the needle and is about to yank it out when Genma reappears next to her, grabbing her wrist to stop her. "Don't touch it! If you pull it out wrong you could paralyze yourself."

"What the fuck do you think you're doing hitting me with senbon!" she shouts at him, twisting slightly to face him.

"I only want you to listen, Naruto," Genma pleads, cupping her face in his hands.

"I'm not going to fucking listen to you when you're drunk because you're too fucking irrational! You prove it thinking I'm cheating on you. Now take the goddamn needle out or I'm going to take away all chances of you having kids or urinating normally ever again!"

Genma shifts his hands to grab her by the shoulders and kisses her. Naruto struggles against him, trying to push him away, but can't do much without risking permanent paralysis.

Suddenly Genma releases her. Her shoulder hits the ground as he disappears from in front of her. In his place is Shikamaru. Glancing behind over her shoulder, she looks past Raido and sees Genma lying on his back halfway across the yard and Kakashi standing in the area between them.

"Are you all right?" Shikamaru asks, frowning in concern.

"Yeah," Naruto grumbles, turning back to face him. "Except for the damn needle in my back."

Both men carefully move her back onto her stomach. Raido deftly snatches the senbon out with one hand while his other hand gently massages the bleeding spot seeping through her shirt. Sensation quickly returns to her legs and she starts to climb to her feet with Raido and Shikamaru's help.

"Sorry it took so long. It took time to get Sasuke and Kotetsu out of the restaurant before they started a brawl. Ino dragged Gai home saying he caused enough trouble by ignoring their warnings." Shikamaru pauses to smirk, adding, "I think Gai will still find trouble when Ino gets him home."

"Where are Sasuke and the others now?" Naruto asks worriedly.

"We all began searching for you when we finally left the restaurant. Sasuke, Izumo and Kotetsu went in another direction to look for you," Shikamaru explains.

Naruto closes her eyes briefly with a sigh of relief. "Good because if Sasuke's itching for a fight and he was here, things would get really ugly really fast."

Shikamaru nods in Kakashi and Genma's direction. "Looks like things already are that ugly."

Turning around Naruto sees Genma and Kakashi squaring off at opposite ends of the yard.

"You need to mind your own damn business, Kakashi," Genma snarls. "You shouldn't be interfering in other people's relationships."

"Maybe," Kakashi shrugs. "I'm wondering when it became appropriate to paralyze your girlfriend with senbon needles."

"It was a mistake!" Genma yells, his face becoming splotchy from embarrassment.

Kakashi arches a brow. "A mistake? So how did the needle manage to mistakenly slip out of your hand into Naruto's spine?"

With a roar, Genma charges Kakashi who easily blocks his fist before tripping him into the dirt. Kakashi effortlessly dodges and blocks all of Genma's sloppy attacks while Naruto watches the fight progress in mute horror. She turns when she hears Raido sigh heavily.

"I'm sorry about Genma, Naruto. We just came back from an 'A' ranked mission that turned 'S' in a very bad way. We barely managed to complete it and lost a comrade. Genma took it hard and went straight for the bars after we reported in," Raido explains wearily. "I've been trying to get him home when we saw you heading with the others to the restaurant. Genma disappeared on me afterward and I was looking for him when I ran into Shikamaru and Kakashi. After hearing about what happened and telling them about Genma, we figured where one is the other would be. Shikamaru remembered you sometimes hung out at the academy grounds when upset. We heard you shouting at Genma when we got close. I never imagined Genma would attack you and I'm sorry I didn't make it here to stop him."

Unable to reply, Naruto nods mutely before turning her worried gaze back to the two jounins fighting. Genma is doing most of the attacking and has been sticking to taijutsu. Kakashi tries repeatedly to knock Genma out, but drunk or not, he blocks every attempt. She barely registers Shikamaru placing a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently in reassurance.

Genma howls in frustration when he can't seem to land a solid hit on Kakashi.

In her head Naruto repeatedly tells them to stop fighting, her pleas becoming a mantra until she starts whispering it. Gradually, her volume increases as she repeats 'please stop' over and over until she finally shouts it, making everyone stop and stare at her. Tears stream from her eyes as she sinks to her knees begging them to stop fighting.

Keeping his hand on her shoulder, Shikamaru follows Naruto to the ground, kneeling next to her while Raido crouches on the other side of her. Staring in shock at her hunched, sobbing form for several moments, Genma takes a few hesitant steps towards her. Kakashi takes advantage of his distraction and knocks him to the ground. Leaving Genma's unconscious heap where it fell, Kakashi walks over to Naruto and the others. Completely folded over her knees, Naruto rests her forehead on the back of one forearm while her free hand claws the dirt near her head. Through the sobs wracking her body she gasps out her apologies over and over.

"Why are you apologizing, Naruto," Shikamaru asks, attempting to break her out of her hysteria while Kakashi crouches down in front of her.

"For everything," she croaks between sobs. "Causing others to suffer by my presence and not being able to ease their pain. Not being stronger. Not being able to stop the anger and hatred. Just…so many things."

Reaching out Kakashi gently strokes her hair. "None of this is your fault, Naruto. You've done more than enough by taking responsibility for the Kyuubi and keeping us safe. You're the one we should be apologizing to, not the other way around."

Naruto's only response is to sob harder. Sighing in resignation Kakashi turns to a worried looking Raido. "We'll take her back to my apartment. Can you please take the idiot she calls a boyfriend home? Afterward, find the others to let them know she's safe and to go home. Naruto doesn't need any more drama tonight."

Raido nods and gets up to collect Genma. He pauses when he hears Kakashi's deadly smooth voice.

"Make it very clear to Genma when he wakes up that he will _**not**_ be pulling a stunt like this again on Naruto."

Glancing over his shoulder to meet Kakashi's steely gaze, Raido nods. Reaching Genma's unconscious form, Raido hefts him over a shoulder and takes him home.

Shikamaru helps Kakashi gather a still sobbing Naruto into his arms. Once ready, both men take to the rooftops. Shikamaru helps get her inside the apartment and starts making some tea while Kakashi settles her in her room. Kakashi flashes through several signs and touches her forehead, causing her to fall asleep. Reaching out, he gently caresses her tearstained cheek with his fingertips before leaving her alone.

Upon reentering the kitchen Shikamaru asks, "Is she all right?"

"Yes," Kakashi replies as he pulls out the tea tray. "I hit her with a mild ANBU sleep jutsu. I've used it on her before and it'll put her into a dreamless sleep for the rest of the night."

"Good," Shikamaru sighs tiredly as the teakettle whistles. "I've always wondered since she habitually masks her pain with a smile why she doesn't break more often."

Kakashi watches Shikamaru pour the steaming water into the teapot before placing it on the tray and carrying it over to the table. "She probably does. We just aren't aware of it. She hides it for several reasons, but the main one is so no one can use her pain against her. She doesn't want to seem weak and doesn't want anyone ridiculing her for it."

"It's a drag because we all know she's hurting and she'd feel a lot better sharing it," Shikamaru grumbles as he settles into the seat across from Kakashi as he pours out the tea.

"She's not used to anyone worrying about her and would rather spare us the pain."

"Naruto's been a kunoichi long enough to know no one can spare anyone that."

"True."

Both men fall into a brief silence as they sip their tea. Finally Shikamaru asks, "May I stay the night?" At Kakashi's arched brow he elaborates. "If there is any more trouble from either Genma or any unstable villagers it'd be good to have an extra hand around."

"I doubt there will be any more trouble, especially from Genma. Not if Raido has something to do with it," Kakashi shrugs nonchalantly. "However, she isn't in any condition to fight in case any trouble arises. We originally planned to camp in the forest, but that's out of the question now." Kakashi pauses to smile at Shikamaru. "So how many blankets will you need for the sofa?"

* * *

The rest of the night passes uneventfully. No one was stupid enough to make a move against Kakashi and left well enough alone.

Naruto wakes up early the next morning disoriented. Squeezing her eyes shut, she curls in on herself further as she remembers the events from the night before. A couple of traitorous tears escape to dampen her pillow. Taking a deep, shuddering breath she blows it out harshly before furiously wiping her tears away while mentally berating herself for being stupid. As much as she accepts there isn't anything she could do to change what happened, it still aches deep in her heart.

Realizing she'll only get mired in self-pity if she stays put, she drags her stiff body out of bed. Gathering a clean set of clothes, Naruto heads to the bathroom for a quick shower. Judging by the smells wafting from the kitchen, Kakashi is being domestic again. Smirking at the image of the famous Copy Ninja playing the happy homemaker, Naruto enters the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Several minutes later Naruto emerges, ducking briefly into her room to dump her dirty clothes into the hamper. She can't remember making it home last night and figures Kakashi must've hit her with a sleep jutsu at some point. Thinking about it, she can't find it in herself to be annoyed at him for doing that.

Emerging from the hallway into the living room she stumbles, unable to get her legs moving properly. Before she falls strong arms encircle her, preventing her from hitting the floor. Stunned, she looks up into the concerned face of Shikamaru.

"Are you all right?"

Naruto nods. "I'm fine."

"Did you trip?"

"No, my legs suddenly weren't working right."

Shikamaru's frown deepens, as Kakashi appears at his shoulder, asking, "Are you experiencing any pain?"

Naruto shakes her head. "My coordination was suddenly off and I stumbled."

Shikamaru helps her straighten up on her feet. "You must still be suffering from some residual effects of having the senbon needle in your spine."

"Sounds likely," Kakashi agrees. "You should get examined by Tsunade-sama, Naruto."

"C'mon, guys!" Naruto protests. "Genma is too skilled to cause permanent damage. It's probably temporary."

"Normally that'd be true, however, Genma was drunk," Shikamaru points out.

Naruto's eyes widen in stunned realization as the implication sinks in.

Kakashi studies her for a moment. "If it happens again you should get checked out rather than risk ending your career early because of it."

Naruto nods her head numbly as Shikamaru guides her over to the table.

After settling her at the table, Shikamaru helps Kakashi serve breakfast. Once the other two settle into their seats, the trio eats in silence for several minutes.

"Why are you here, Shika?" Naruto finally asks.

"I stayed the night in case there was any more trouble."

Naruto smiles warmly at the two jounin. "Thanks, guys. I'm sorry for any trouble I caused."

"You weren't the one causing trouble last night, Naruto," Kakashi admonishes. "You never have."

"You may be a troublesome prankster, but never a troublemaker," Shikamaru quips.

Naruto playfully smacks his arm before sighing. "If it weren't for me…" she began before Kakashi cuts her off.

"We wouldn't be where we are today," he finishes. "You need to stop apologizing for things that aren't your fault, Naruto."

"You keep the Kyuubi secure and deserve a lot more than anyone has ever given you," Shikamaru adds.

Overwhelmed Naruto can't think of anything to say, not without breaking again. Instead she takes a deep breath and continues eating in silence. She finally speaks a few minutes later.

"Do you think it's possible to just cancel the picnic today?" When both men just stare at her, she continues. "I've never felt comfortable celebrating my birthday. Ignoring last night, there's too many years of bad memories associated with my birthday. Besides," she shrugs indifferently, "it's never been a big deal to me, just another day. I survived another one and just want to move on."

Shikamaru smirks. "Easier said than done. Ino's not going to let you off the hook. It's her way of making up for all the years of failing to acknowledge your birthday when we were kids. She's also not one to pass up the opportunity for a party."

"My birthday just marks another year I managed to live through, there's nothing worth celebrating," Naruto protests in annoyance.

"You'll go to the picnic," Kakashi states, causing the two younger jounin to stare at him. "It's more than just celebrating the day you were born. Just as you count us as being important, we hold you in the same regard. It's not fair to deny us the one chance a year to show how much you mean to us."

Shikamaru smirks at Naruto's dumbstruck expression, adding, "Shinobi aren't known for showing their emotions very well, so when the opportunity arises where we can do so without being embarrassed, we'll shamelessly take advantage of it."

Naruto shakes her head at them. "There's no winning this argument is there?"

"Nope," both men reply simultaneously.

"Alright, alright I'll go," Naruto sighs irritably in defeat while rolling her eyes.

* * *

After cleaning up, Kakashi and Shikamaru escort Naruto over to the park where Ino arranged to have the picnic. Naruto stumbles again during their walk over, resulting in a brief argument when Kakashi tries insisting she get examined immediately. Annoyed since he was the one who badgered her into going to the damn picnic in the first place, Naruto compromises with him to get checked out right after the picnic.

When they arrive at the park, they head directly to the expanse of grass between the lake and a copse. Ino, Hinata and Kiba are already there, setting up a table for the food. Akamaru barks, notifying them of Naruto's arrival. Ino already told Hinata and Kiba about what happened at the restaurant, so when they saw Naruto approaching with Kakashi and Shikamaru, they immediately crowd around, asking how she's doing.

Before Naruto can respond to their questions Gai rushes over and grabs her in a bear hug, apologizing and crying over what happened. Naruto mentally kicks herself for not noticing him spreading out the blankets where everyone will sit.

"It's alright," she reassures him with a smile as she pries herself out of his grasp.

"No, it is not," Gai states, becoming uncharacteristically serious. "I knew you did not want to go anywhere last night. Both Shikamaru and Ino warned me from doing so, but I wished to prove you have every right to publicly celebrate your life on the day you were born. Yes, much tragedy occurred on this same date twenty-one years ago, but you did not cause the Kyuubi to attack the village, nor are you responsible simply because you contain it. You should not have to hide as if shamed on your birthday. However, I did not intend for things to degenerate as they did. I thought once we were at the restaurant long enough the other patrons would get used to our presence and leave well enough alone. I am sorry if you were harmed in any way."

Naruto is stunned speechless by Gai's words. Touched, she blushes before finding her voice. "Thank you for caring, Gai. It's not your fault there are still villagers who react that way to me on the anniversary of the Kyuubi attack."

"Your birthday," Kiba corrects. At her puzzled look he continues. "We should stop referring to October tenth as the anniversary of the Kyuubi attack. It's your birthday first and foremost. Enough time has passed and the attack is secondary now."

Everyone nods and murmurs their agreement.

"What's done is done and we have a picnic to finish preparing for," Hinata declares with a gentle smile. As everyone agrees, Hinata steps forward and hugs Naruto. "Happy belated birthday, Naruto-chan."

After the others follow suit with their birthday wishes, causing Naruto to turn a nice shade of red and prompting further good-natured teasing, they get back to work. Shikamaru and Kakashi begin helping to complete the preparations. Naruto tries helping only to be threatened with getting tied to a tree with streamers if she tries anything. The playful atmosphere helps lighten her mood considerably, especially when Gai tries challenging Kakashi to see who can finish their task first. Much to Kakashi's relief, Ino puts an immediate stop to it, promising a great deal of pain if Gai tries instigating more challenges.

It isn't long until Konohamaru and Moegi arrive with the hibachi grills while the others finish laying out the food and setting some of Naruto's presents on the table. Neji, Hana and Hanabi arrive soon after, carrying the remainder of the gifts from Naruto's friends who aren't able to attend the picnic.

Much to Naruto's surprise, Sasuke shows up on his own without anyone having to go drag him out.

"I did promise to try working on my teamwork, dobe," he smirks. "Besides, I didn't get the chance to work on that last night since our camping trip was cancelled at the last minute, so I have to seize every opportunity."

Pleased by the gesture, Naruto kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you, Teme."

A rare blush creeps onto Sasuke's face the others don't fail to notice. Kiba, Neji and Shikamaru immediately seize the chance to torment him about it, causing Sasuke to promise painful retribution. Ignoring them for a moment, Sasuke turns back to Naruto.

"Happy Birthday, Naruto," he states, before leaning in and kissing her on the cheek.

Stunned, it takes Naruto a few moments for his gesture to sink in and cause her to start blushing furiously. Sasuke hands her his present, which is promptly snatched from the redhead's hands by Ino and placed on the table with the rest.

"How chivalrous and considerate you are, Sasuke! Demonstrating such a wonderful youthful vitality!" Gai boisterously proclaims.

"Reign in the annoying references to youth," Ino growls at Gai who flashes her a weak grin and immediately busies himself with monitoring the hibachi grills.

The distraction is enough for Naruto to recover from her embarrassment as Sasuke settles next to her and Kakashi on one of the blankets. Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru and Hana join them while the others handle the food. They decide to temporarily hold off on torturing Sasuke further about blushing since he made Naruto happy with his birthday wish.

Instead they discuss the friends who couldn't make it, like Shino, Choji, Lee, Udon and several others who are either out on missions or stuck working.

"Couldn't Sakura make it?" Hana asks.

"She couldn't get out of her hospital rotation today," Kakashi explains. "Her boyfriend Ritsu planned on coming, but he was sent out on a mission at the last minute. Those who couldn't make it today made certain to leave their presents with Neji ahead of time."

As they continue chatting, Tenten and Yugao show up with the birthday cake. Naruto was blown away by the chocolate confection with amaretto cream filling and butter cream frosting.

"It's almost too pretty to eat! I'm really surprised you guys brought one," she mutters as she leans in closer to examine the intricate decorations.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "It's just a cake. How can we celebrate a birthday without cake?"

Naruto blushes slightly as she falls silent.

"What's wrong?" Neji asks concerned.

"Nothing's wrong," Naruto quietly replies. "I'm sorry for being stupid over a cake. I never had one before and it's a new thing for me."

Kiba recoils from the glares and low growling as Akamaru whimpers behind him in fear.

Sighing in annoyance, Naruto rolls her eyes. "Knock it off, guys. He had a point."

"Sorry, Naruto. I was being an idiot," Kiba states, causing the others to back off.

"Don't worry about it Kiba, it's nothing," Naruto replies with a smile.

Naruto turns her attention to Hinata who asks if she wants her onions grilled.

As soon as Naruto back is turned, Neji, Sasuke and Shikamaru smack Kiba on the back of the head in quick, sharp succession before she turns back around.

Soon they all settle back onto the blankets to continue chatting as they wait for the others to finish cooking the rest of the food. Much to Naruto's reluctance they discuss the previous night. After a couple of failed attempts to derail the topic, she briefly considers just up and leaving for several minutes, but is too afraid of Kakashi's version. She can't bring herself to tell the others, but chooses to remain in case she has to make any corrections.

The others are appalled and outraged at what happened in the restaurant. Yugao got up and came around behind Naruto to hug her. Others glare menacingly at Gai, who waves sheepishly from his post by the hibachi grill, for dragging her there in the first place. However, they all agree Gai had a point and she has the right to celebrate her birthday like everyone else.

It was difficult to hear when it got to Genma and the killing intent increases exponentially. "Knock it off, guys. When the time comes I'll deal with Genma's sorry ass," she grumbles.

"Not if I get to him first," Sasuke mutters.

Naruto glares at him. "No. You won't."

Sasuke glares back, bristling at the order.

"It's between Genma and me," she continues glaring at him. "I'll deliver the message about _**our**_ relationship."

"He's not understanding the message very well, so maybe someone else needs to explain it to him," Sasuke grinds out darkly.

Kakashi places a hand on Naruto's shoulder to calm the seething redhead as he leans forward. "Back off, Sasuke, and let her handle it. Relationships are complicated enough without others interfering. We need to trust she can handle this herself."

"She's not doing a very good job," Sasuke mutters dismissively.

Incredulous, everyone gapes at Sasuke. Kakashi feels Naruto tense under his hand.

"We all share your sentiment that Genma needs to be painfully reminded of the proper treatment of a girlfriend," Neji explains, looking intensely at Sasuke. "However, it isn't your place to judge how Naruto handles her relationship with Genma. You need to realize your bluntness is hurting her, which is exactly what you're angry with Genma for in the first place. You aren't doing any better casting doubt on her ability to handle this situation."

Sasuke opens his mouth to tell Neji off when he catches sight of Naruto's face. He can see the hurt behind the angry expression. Grudgingly, he admits the Hyuga is right. Sasuke takes a deep breath. "You're right, it's none of my business. However, I can't promise not to hold back if Genma does it again."

Naruto sighs in relief. "Thanks for letting me handle it, Sasuke."

Feeling her relax under his grip, Kakashi releases her shoulder after giving another reassuring squeeze.

It isn't long until the food is ready. The atmosphere lightens considerably as the conversation shifts from the events of the previous night. For the first time she can remember, Naruto is able to relax and celebrate her birthday with her friends. Although still not completely comfortable celebrating it, she can honestly admit this is the first time she has enjoyed it.

When everyone finishes eating and are cleaning up in preparation of Naruto opening her gifts, Tsunade, Shizune and Jiraiya arrive. Naruto is overjoyed to see them and accepts their hugs and well wishes as Ino, Tenten and Gai prepare plates of food for them.

Grinning at Shizune, Naruto quips, "I didn't think Shizune-nee-chan would let you escape from the office long enough because of all the paperwork, Baa-chan."

Reaching out, Tsunade flicks her ear in annoyance. "Since it's a special occasion worth celebrating, Shizune cut me some slack as long as she could come too."

Shizune adds, "It's not everyday one turns 21."

Naruto beams gratefully at Shizune as they continue chatting. Jiraiya wanders over to the others, quietly informing them of the real reason they showed up. "Tsunade reminded Shizune of all the shitty birthdays Naruto had to endure in the past. Since they couldn't send the gaki out on a mission yesterday, Tsunade laid it on thick, finally guilting Shizune into letting her come to the picnic."

"Good thing," Tenten mutters, handing him a plate.

At Jiraiya's confused look Kakashi continues. "I'll explain later. If Naruto hears another rehash of yesterday, she'll become depressed again."

"Things got that bad?" Jiraiya asks, prompting the others to nod simultaneously.

At that moment Genma and Raido show up, much to everyone's surprise.

Noticing them, Naruto excuses herself from Shizune and Tsunade and approaches them before the others can react.

As the rest of the picnickers gather around Tsunade and Shizune to get closer to the action, the two women immediately notice surge of killing intent.

Tsunade sighs wearily. "What did Genma do this time?"

Before anyone can answer Naruto starts speaking and everyone quiets down to listen.

"Hi Raido," she greets warmly with a smile before glowering at Genma. "Genma."

Raido steps forward to hug her. "Happy birthday, Naruto. I'm sorry for not telling you yesterday."

"Don't worry about it. There was too much happening," Naruto waves it off.

Raido hands her his present as a subdued Genma attempts to step forward and hug her while wishing her a happy birthday.

Naruto throws up her hand, effectively stopping the movement as she stiffly thanks him.

Sighing in resignation Genma asks, "Can we talk?"

Naruto eyes him coldly. "Depends. Are you sober and are you going to start throwing senbon at me again?"

Looking guilty Genma offers his present to her, quietly saying, "I'm sober and, no, I won't attack you again."

Naruto accepts with a grim nod and hands Raido both presents. "Raido, please put these with the others on the table. There's still plenty of food left, so help yourself."

Naruto turns her attention back to Genma. Both shinobi stare at each other in silence; one looking furious, the other looking sheepish and attempting to hold her gaze.

Raido cautiously approaches the rest of the group settled back down on the blankets to quietly observing the exchange. Ino immediately steps forward and taking the presents from his hands, ordering him to sit down while she prepares a plate for him.

Sitting down among the others he answers their silent questions. "I'm here to keep Genma in line while he apologizes for being an idiot last night."

Tsunade arches a brow and leans forward, her voice dripping sweetness. "What happened last night?"

Everyone gulps in fear, knowing this was not going to end well.

Genma breaks the awkward silence between them first. "I'm sorry for being an idiot and attacking you last night. I never meant to hurt you. I was having a shitty day and seeing you with the others just set me off."

"I know," Naruto replies coolly. "Raido told me your mission ended badly and you guys lost a comrade. That's hard for anyone."

Misreading her demeanor, Genma sighs in relief. Smiling slightly in gratitude, he steps forward, his jaw painfully meeting Naruto's fist. She punches him with a right uppercut so hard it sends him flying into the air. Summoning two shadow clones, they leap into action, binding him with Nin wire before lashing him to the upper boughs of the nearest tree and poofing out of existence. Naruto leaps into the tree and sits down on the bough in front of a confused Genma who is still attempting to process what just happened.

"Our audience is a little too bloodthirsty right now," Naruto explains cheerfully. "I want to ensure there won't be any interference, but I also don't want to give in to the temptation of letting them have their vicious way."

The rest of the picnickers are annoyed Naruto disappeared with Genma into the tree. However, most understand why, especially once they finish explaining to Tsunade, Jiraiya and Shizune what happened. The killing intent off of Tsunade alone is enough to want to make most of them flee for their lives.

"Tsunade-sama, Naruto is still emotionally fragile and doesn't need the added drama if we don't let her handle it her way," Kakashi points out reasonably.

"Alright, I'll let the gaki handle it. She can be more sadistic than me when she puts her mind to it," Tsunade grudgingly acquiesces.

Slowly, every one of them drifts from the blankets to quietly gather at the base of the tree, blatantly eavesdropping on the couple's conversation.

Crossing her arms, Naruto glares at Genma. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Genma's head sags as his gaze drops to the limb they're perched on. "I wasn't. I went for a few drinks after we checked in and Raido was trying to drag my ass home. I saw you walking with Gai's arm around your shoulder and saw red."

Naruto's gaze darkens. "You actually thought I'd cheat on you with Gai. _Gai_?"

Meeting her gaze, Genma nods reluctantly.

"That shows more than anything what a stupid moron you are when you're drunk!" she shouts, leaping to her feet to lean over him. "Didn't you notice Ino walking on Gai's other side?" she demands. Genma mutely shakes his head. Growling in frustration, she continues. "It's bad enough you accuse me of cheating, but to think it'd be with _Gai_ of all people is mind blowing! On the extremely _remote_ chance I'd cheat with Gai, Ino would've been first in line to not only beat _my_ ass, but to completely dismember Gai."

Naruto pauses briefly to let the information sink into Genma's thick, little skull. "I told you before I'd _never_ do that. If you want a second opinion, you can ask Neji, he's down below with everyone else."

Genma blinks at her in confusion. "Neji? Why Neji?"

"Neji was my last boyfriend." Genma looks up at her in shock, causing Naruto to roll her eyes. "Why are you surprised? Everyone knew that. And before Neji, I dated Choji. You can ask them if they ever suspected me of cheating. I'm sure they'll tell you to get your head examined, but you're more than welcome to ask them anyway."

"That isn't necessary," Genma replies quietly.

Sighing heavily, Naruto sits back down, gesturing for him to continue.

"After ditching Raido I followed you to the restaurant and waited outside until you reappeared. Then I trailed you to the academy. I could tell you were upset and I really tried getting past seeing Gai's arm around you, but I couldn't help myself."

Feeling another surge of killing intent, Naruto interrupts him, yell down to the others below. "Knock it off! I'm handling it." When it subsides somewhat, she turns to Genma again. "That was the worst possible time for you to decide to be an ass y'know."

Genma takes in her pained expression. "What happened?"

She chuckles humorlessly. "What usually happens on my birthday."

"I didn't even know you dated Neji, what makes you think I know what usually happens on your birthday?" Genma prods, his voice colored with annoyance.

"Didn't Raido tell you?" she asks surprised. "I thought Shikamaru and Kakashi told him what happened."

"Raido refused to, saying if I really want to know I should ask you."

Sighing Naruto briefly explains what happened at the restaurant. When she finishes, Genma looks stricken.

"I'm sorry for being an ass."

Sighing, Naruto climbs to her feet, walks over and releases him from the Nin wire. Vigorously he rubs his arms to get the feeling back while climbing to his feet. She speaks before he can even thank her.

"You really blindsided me when you asked if I was okay," she quietly states. "I thought you were genuinely concerned about me. I didn't expect you to start harping on me being with my friends. And to top it off you hit me with senbon. I've already been attacked by enough people during the day, I really didn't need to be attacked by my own boyfriend."

Unable to answer, Genma looks down guiltily, knowing he hurt her deeply.

"I'm still feeling the effects of the needle."

Genma's alarmed gaze snaps up to meet serious blue eyes.

"Twice today I've stumbled for no apparent reason," she explains. "I couldn't get my legs coordinated enough to walk right. I promised Shikamaru and Kakashi to get checked out by Baa-chan after the picnic to make sure there isn't any permanent damage from the needle. I just thought you should know."

Genma hesitantly steps towards her. "I can't begin apologizing for my actions. You're right, I was a total asshole, but I never meant to hurt you. I let my anger and insecurity blind me and didn't realize how much I was hurting you until I saw you break."

"You weren't the cause of that," Naruto protests, embarrassed he remembers her falling apart.

"No, but I didn't help either did I?" Genma pauses as her gaze briefly drops away. "Naruto, I'm too used to seeing you strong and happy that I forgot you hurt too. It has to hurt because you can't care for others as much as you do without it being extremely painful when they cause you pain." Briefly he pauses to take a deep breath. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, much less another chance, but I care for you and want to continue our relationship."

Naruto closes her eyes, struggling to keep her emotions under control. After a few minutes she opens them and quietly replies, "I'll forgive you eventually. I'd be a hypocrite if I couldn't forgive you for being stupid when I've been stupid lots of times. But right now I can't say I want to continue our relationship. I want to discuss it again later, so you better be around when not on a mission and you better be sober or all bets are off."

Genma nods in acceptance. "Thank you. I know it's more than I deserve." A rueful grin spreads across his face. "I expected a lot more pain. You actually let me off pretty easy, so I can't complain about your terms."

Naruto eyes him shrewdly. "Oh, I'm not done yet."

A moment later he is sailing out of the tree and lands with a spectacular splash into the lake. Everyone is laughing, cheering and clapping when Genma sputters to the surface.

Raido looms over him when he reaches the shore. "It must've gone well if you were conscious and pretty much intact when you hit the water."

"Better than I hoped," Genma states as he climbs out of the water. Eyeing the others who are either sniggering or glaring, he adds with a nod in their direction, "I'm surprised none of them have gotten into the act yet."

"They don't want to upset Naruto any further and after what I saw last night I agree," Raido explains. "Let's leave them to their party or they might not be able to continue restraining themselves."

"Yeah, good idea," Genma nods before shaking some of the water dripping from his head.

As they walk away Raido makes another suggestion. "If Naruto does continue dating your sorry ass, better make sure not do anything stupid like that again. Next time you'll not only have to answer to her, but to everyone else, especially Kakashi."

Genma nods again in agreement as they finally exit the park.

"Naruto?" Ino calls up into the tree. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Naruto's voice drifts down. "I just need a few minutes."

Ino looks over at Tenten and Hinata, both girls nod and all three disappear up into the tree.

Deciding to let the girls comfort Naruto, everyone else settles again onto the blankets to discuss the latest developments.

Needless to say, Tsunade is upset to learn by the entire situation. "I probably could've found something to get the gaki out of the village for the day at least, but Gai is correct, she has every right to celebrate her birthday at home. The villagers need to stop holding her responsible for the attack."

"It's worse is that Genma would dare carelessly throw weapons and attack a comrade from behind, injuring them, regardless if she's his girlfriend," Jiraiya mutters darkly.

"Agreed. I can't let a transgression like that slide. Upset or not over a bad mission, there is no excuse for such behavior," Tsunade growls, her gaze hardening.

"Genma should spend some time working at the hospital assisting patients who've been permanently disabled by weapon attacks, especially other shinobi," Yugao suggests. "That would remind him not to carelessly throw weapons at another person when it's not combat or training related."

Arching a brow as a devilish gleam lights her eyes, Tsunade smirks. "Great idea. Should add to his guilt nicely."

"It's perfect," Jiraiya agrees. "And it wouldn't upset Naruto or make her think you're retaliating needlessly, hime."

"Naruto shouldn't think of it as retaliation," Shizune states. "Genma did recklessly violate the shinobi code of conduct."

"That may be true," Kakashi points out. "However, it's hard for Naruto not to see it as retaliation when everyone keeps talking about teaching Genma a lesson."

A few of the younger, male members of their group shift and look decidedly uncomfortable, knowing Kakashi is referring to them. They continue discussing the matter until Naruto finally reappears several minutes later with the other girls.

"Sorry for disappearing like that, but I had to take care of things with Genma." Naruto grins, but the smile doesn't reach her eyes.

"I hate it when you do that," Sasuke growls.

"What?" Naruto asks in confusion.

"Smile and pretend everything's okay again, when it isn't."

Her smile falters as she looks away guiltily.

Kiba growls while Neji mutters, "Great way to dampen her mood even further."

Before things can get out of hand, Konohamaru gripes, "What's the big deal? Boss can do whatever she wants; it's her birthday party. But if she wants to feel better then she should open up her presents and have some cake. Everything is better with cake!"

"You can't really argue with that logic," Kakashi agrees with a shrug.

"Sounds good to me," Ino agrees, grabbing Naruto by the shoulders and forcing her to sit down before she can protest. Hanabi, Konohamaru and Moegi bring over her presents while Hinata cuts the cake.

Naruto is reluctant at first, but seeing she's outnumbered and it would make the others happy, she goes along with it. Konohamaru's prediction quickly comes true as opening everyone's presents lightens her mood considerably. She's confused when she opens Konohamaru's gift, which turns out to be a box of hair dye. To top it off, it's not even the same shade of red as her hair. The best she can describe it is a sort of purplish, magenta shade.

As she tries to think of how to ask about it politely, Kiba snatches the box out of her hands. "What the hell?"

"Why did you give her a box of hair dye?" Shikamaru asks the young Sarutobi.

Konohamaru rolls his eyes. "Isn't it obvious?" he asks in a tone suspiciously sounding like 'duh.' "Boss is getting pretty old at 21 and soon she's going to have to start dyeing her hair."

Said redhead narrows her eyes at him dangerously as Hana comments, "It's not even the same shade of red as Naruto's."

"I'm not even sure that color even qualifies as red," a confused Hanabi adds.

"If Boss has to start dyeing her hair then she might like some variety," Konohamaru declares as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'm not that old and don't have gray hairs!" Naruto finally snaps in annoyance.

"I'm only trying to save you the trouble of using a genjutsu to hide your age like the old bat," Konohamaru replies huffily, gesturing at Tsunade. Golden eyes narrow dangerously as a low growl emits from the Hokage's throat.

Ignoring the increasingly dangerous atmosphere, Konohamaru blithely continues, "If you don't dye your hair, you'll have so many white and gray hairs that your hair will turn pink and people will start confusing you with the Pink Terror."

Kiba busts out laughing. "The brat has a point! The only difference being Naruto and Sakura is that Naruto has more cleavage and a better ass!"

Sensing imminent danger, Akamaru moves swiftly to hide behind Hana and Neji for safety, grumbling a few choice words to his partner. Sensing a sudden spike in killing intent Kiba and Konohamaru barely dodge the kunai lobbed at them, which become deeply embedded in the blankets where they were sitting. Everyone watches in varying degrees of amusement as the two young men desperately flee for their lives into the trees from a very pissed Naruto.

"Maybe we should stop Naruto before she does something she'll regret," Moegi wonders worriedly.

"It'll help her release any pent up negative emotions," Shikamaru mutters dismissively, lying back to watch the clouds.

"It's also a good way for her to keep up her pursuit skills," Kakashi add as they watch Naruto hot on Kiba and Konohamaru's heels.

"It's a good thing she's got great stamina as both young men are exceptionally fast on their feet," Yugao comments.

They hear Kiba yell at Konohamaru, "Stop following me! It'll increase the chance of survival if we split up!"

Konohamaru shouts back, "How?"

"Because while she's killing you, I have a better chance of escaping!"

With a shouted curse at the Inuzuka, the younger man complies anyway and shoots off in another direction.

Their amused comrades watch as four clones appear beside Naruto briefly before disappearing further into the trees before either of her victims notice.

"It is wonderful to see such a sudden burst of youthful joy morph into a spontaneous training session!" Gai declares boisterously. "I wish I could join them." Noticing Ino's glare, he hastily adds, "Except it is far more youthful to stay beside my lovely wife instead. So I won't."

At that moment they all hear one of Naruto's clones shout, "Wind Release: Hair Wind!"

Everyone clearly hears Konohamaru's cries of distress even if they can't see what is happening. A blast of spinning wind carries Konohamaru near the top of a particularly tall tree before dissipating. Another clone appears and lassos him with Nin wire, securely binding his arms. The first clone throws a couple of kunai at the young man's falling form, pinning him by the seat of his pants to the trunk of the tree. The two clones high five each other before poofing out of existence.

Judging by Konohamaru's yells, Kiba easily deduces Naruto effectively took him out. He speeds up, hoping to gain enough distance to give him the chance to hide. Although by now he's very familiar with Naruto's jutsu and fighting styles, he knows from past experience the redhead is not one to be trifled with. He's confident he can still go toe to toe with her, but thought it wiser to err on the side of caution for once. It's one thing to spar, but it's a whole other ball game to deal with a pissed off Naruto. She won't fight just to win. She'll seek vengeance on his ass for comparing her to Sakura.

What's worse is he doesn't even have Akamaru back him up. The furry little turncoat said he shot off his mouth, so he has to pay the consequences. Kiba figures at least he got her mind off her troubles with Genma and all the shit she had to deal with yesterday. However, he isn't going to just let her win that easily. Diving into a particularly thick tree, Kiba hides to get a better sense of his surroundings. Sniffing the air and straining his hearing he tries to get a bead on Naruto with no luck.

His mind runs though his options. He could apologize and hope she's feeling benevolent. However, she just finished dealing with Genma, so he doubts she'll be that lenient. Besides, he's not the one who gave her the hair dye, so he really doesn't have anything to apologize for. Sheesh, it's not like she can't recover from a bruised ego. Another option could be to just take her head on, but even he isn't that much of a jerk when she's been dealing with a boatload of crap for the last thirty-six hours. It wouldn't be right to beat her after that. His best option is to sneak out of the park and hide for a couple of days until she's distracted by something else.

Climbing down from the tree, Kiba feels his best bet is to calmly walk out of there. Predators are more likely to give chase if their prey is running. Plus, she's more likely to look for him in the trees, not on the ground.

Kiba strolls sedately through the woods, encountering Sakura a few minutes later.

"Sakura? Why're you here?" he asks warily.

Sakura grins sheepishly. "It was slow at the hospital and my sempai was in a good mood, giving me a couple of hours to pop in on Naruto's picnic."

Still suspicious Kiba asks, "Why are you this far into the woods?"

"I heard Tsunade-sama was at the picnic," she explains. "I'm hoping to avoid her in case she's upset I'm not at the hospital."

A slight shift in the wind alerts Kiba that Sakura is a fake. Her scent is off. Turning away, he takes off at a dead run as the fake Sakura calls out after him.

Laughing he shouts out, "Nice try, Naruto! But you'll have to do better than that!"

He only manages a few yards when his ankles suddenly slam together and he's hanging upside down like a roasted duck. Before he can even slip out a kunai to cut himself loose, his arms are suddenly lashed to his body with Nin wire. Kiba struggles desperately to free himself and stills when he saw the fake Sakura rushing towards him with her fist cocked. He duly notes the henge dropping to reveal Naruto before the blow connects and his world goes black.

It isn't long after the chase begins that Naruto returns to the picnic. She actually felt invigorated chasing after the two dimwits. Settling herself back onto the blankets she smiles at the questioning looks everyone gives her. They lost sight of the trio, but heard Konohamaru's yells even if they didn't know what happened.

"Konohamaru's appreciating the view of the village from the treetops during the timeout I arranged," she offers by way of explanation. After a bit of prodding by the others, she laughs and reveals exactly what she did.

"How long will you leave him up there?" Hanabi asks, ignoring Moegi's worried look.

"For however long it takes him to escape. Even a decent shinobi should be able to escape from Nin wire," Naruto explains airily.

"Kiba?" Shikamaru asks.

"Shouldn't be long until you guys can see for yourselves. I'm having a blast, but everyone has to leave soon. Since I don't have time to screw around I want to finish opening my presents and have some cake."

Accepting they'll have to wait for the big reveal, they watch as she continues happily opening her presents.

It isn't long until she pauses for a moment and a sly grin creeps across her features. At the others' questioning gaze she informs them Kiba should be showing up any minute.

It doesn't take long for her to finish opening all of her presents and they start passing out the cake. Once everyone has a piece in hand, Hana and Tenten glance up simultaneously and start laughing uproariously, capturing everyone's attention. Soon everyone looks in the direction they're pointing and join in.

Kiba stalks over with a murderous look on his face as the others catcall and compliment his new hairstyle; his brown hair now a bright fuchsia color.

He stops loom in front of a smiling Naruto who holds up a plate. "Want some? It's really good!"

He growls at her. "You're a mean spirited sadist and I demand you change my hair back!"

"Sorry you feel that way, Kiba," Naruto coos in mock sympathy. "It would've been a shame to waste Konohamaru's present and I thought _you_ of all people would appreciate it. It's such a lovely shade that really compliments your skin tone."

Another round of laughter breaks out at her comment. As he stands there steaming, Naruto jumps up, kisses him on the cheek and hugs him.

"Thank you for the knapsack! The wind design embroidered on it is beautiful and for such a cute little bag it's really spacious. It's also really great it's waterproof; I'll definitely get a lot of use out of it."

Sighing in defeat, Kiba doesn't have the heart to stay angry at her, not with this display of gratitude. "I saw it on a mission and thought you'd like it."

"I really do!" Naruto declares, hugging him again as Ino hands him a piece of cake.

Kiba sulkily settles among them as Akamaru barks at him.

"Shut up!" Kiba snarls at his partner.

"Akamaru is only telling the truth, Kiba," Hana snaps. "You need to learn to keep your big mouth shut."

Kiba points to his hair and whines, "It's glowing! What am I going to do about it?"

Ino sniggers. "Wait until it grows out?"

"I can't wait until it grows out!" Kiba shouts.

"There isn't much you can do about it because any attempts to color it back will turn your hair green," Hinata points out reasonably.

At his stricken look Shizune pipes in helpfully, "It might fade with repeated washings, so it may not be long until it fades enough for it to be colored back to normal."

Kiba rushes to finish his cake, knowing if he set it down it wouldn't be there when he got back. He walks over to the pond and begins dunking his head in the water.

"Does he really have to wait until it grows out or fades?" Neji asks.

"Not at all," Tenten answers with a grin. "A professional stylist can dye it back to normal without it turning green."

"Of course, we have no intention of sharing that bit of information with Kiba," Ino points out.

"Maybe we should ask all the stylists in Konoha to not recolor his hair as part of his punishment," Yugao suggests.

Hana waves it off. "Mom trims his hair and once she hears how it happened, she's not going to tell him how to fix it. Besides, Kiba won't even think of it on his own unless someone suggests it."

All the girls glare pointedly at the guys.

Jiraiya holds up his hands in surrender. "The brat won't hear it from me." A sentiment seconded by the rest of the males.

The picnic officially comes to an end several minutes later.

"Thanks everyone. It really was the best birthday I ever had." Naruto smiles gratefully with a bow.

The others exchange glances and small smiles, knowing it was worth the effort and silently vow to do the same thing next year.

As the rest clean up, Tsunade orders Naruto to follow her back to the hospital to get checked out to see if the senbon needle caused any permanent damage.

Naruto sighs and reluctantly follows without further argument. As she walks with Shizune and Tsunade, Jiraiya catches them up on the latest information he has on the Akatsuki. They still only have five of their original members. Since they have the eight other Biju in their possession they apparently aren't worried about replacing their numbers. This revelation shocks the women.

"I thought they'd concentrate on replacing their lost members, giving us time to finally stop them for good," Tsunade muses.

"Since they have all the other tailed beasts they feel confident enough with what they have left to take care of the Kyuubi should they get their hands on Naruto. Besides, if we thought all of the Akatsuki we've squared off against so far were tough, apparently the ones left are the best of them," Jiraiya explains, causing the four adults to fall silent in thought.

With a sidelong glance at Naruto, Shizune breaks the silence first. "Maybe we need to take some extra precautions."

Lost in thought, the redhead hadn't noticed the look, but Tsunade did.

With a frown Tsunade firmly, but calmly states, "There's no need to be hasty. We need more information before we can devise a plan to deal with the threat once and for all."

Tsunade's tone clearly hinted to Shizune to drop the subject for the time being. Naruto proceeds to get Jiraiya up to date on their investigation of the Uchiha massacre as they make their way through the center of the village.

"Amazing," Jiraiya declares in awe.

"Our investigative skills?" Naruto eagerly asks, her ego inflating a little.

"No. The fact you've managed to stay focused on something so boring for so long, brat."

Naruto glares, retorting, "I get plenty of practice dealing with boring crap every time I edit the latest Icha Icha."

"Hey!" the sannin protests indignantly.

Tsunade chuckles at the barb before saying, "You should give her more credit. She's the one who uncovered obscure clues no one else noticed before."

Chuckling at Naruto's sour expression, Jiraiya grabs her in a headlock and musses her hair before releasing her. As Naruto sulkily smoothes out her hair, he agrees. "No one else could've pulled off convincing Sasuke to give up his blind vendetta and return to the village."

"If it weren't for Naruto," Shizune adds, "no one would've bothered to learn the truth about the massacre. It would've still been thought of in passing as a sad footnote in history, which would be a grave injustice to the victims."

Naruto tries to wave off the praise. "It was the right thing to do, not only for the victims, but as Konoha shinobi."

"Even so, gaki, very few would've been as committed or as dogged in the investigation. That is a special something, which makes you perfect to become Hokage." Tsunade points out, causing Naruto to blush at the praise and fall silent as they arrive at the hospital.

Tsunade subjects Naruto to a series of neurological exams to see if how much damage the senbon needle caused. While testing the motor skills in Naruto's lower extremities, Tsunade notices a slight hitch to the impulses traveling through her spine. Upon closer examination, she determines the slight damage caused by the needle was enough to interrupt the flow of the impulses that control the leg muscles. It hit just right and pierced one of her chakra pathways. Fortunately the damage is clean and minute.

"Normally I'd just let it heal on it's own, but then I'd have to put you on medical leave." Tsunade cuts Naruto off before she can start to protest. "But I won't. If the council finds out you were injured again, they'll use it as another example of why restrictions should be placed on you. They could go so far to say that Genma attacked you deliberately and it'd be for your own protection. Even if they don't make him a scapegoat, they could use this as an example that your skills are sub par for a shinobi if you can't even dodge a simple weapon attack."

Tsunade gives Naruto a moment to absorb her words before continuing. "That's why I'm just going to heal it, but you'll have to take it easy for a couple days to make sure it heals properly."

The redhead nods grimly in acceptance. Shizune begins prepping Naruto for the procedure while Tsunade leaves the exam room to walk Jiraiya out.

"The council hasn't let up on the gaki, have they?" Jiraiya asks as they stroll down the deserted corridor.

Tsunade sighs heavily. "No. It always bothered them since I named Naruto as my successor. It's clear they aren't just simply afraid of the Akatsuki getting their hands on Naruto; they don't want her to become the next Hokage. So they're using every excuse they can to not only end her career as a shinobi, but to stop her from assuming leadership of the village."

"The council really has it out for Naruto don't they?" Jiraiya asks, shaking his head. Tsunade nods grimly, prompting him to continue. "I wonder if it wouldn't be better for the gaki to give up on becoming Hokage," he muses.

His blonde teammate stares at him in shock. Before she can recover her senses to yell at him, Jiraiya holds up his hand as they stop by a window at the end of the corridor. "I believe Naruto would be a great Hokage. Hell, knowing her, she'll probably surpass her old man on that too."

"Then why in the hell would you want her to give up on that dream?" Tsunade growls.

A grim expression forms on Jiraiya's face. "Even if she succeeds in becoming Hokage, she would have only won the battle, but not the war. She'll have the rank and file behind her since she long won them over and earned their respect. However, once she takes office she'll be constantly fighting the council. They'll do everything in their power to not only undermine her authority but interfere with her decisions at every opportunity. That sort of tug of war would be damaging to the village in the long run and could be devastating during a catastrophic event."

Jiraiya gives Tsunade a moment to consider his words before continuing. "Let's be honest about the situation because if Naruto hasn't won over the council yet, she never will. And whether we like it or not, the council is too deeply entrenched for us to be able to dissolve it and make it easier for her to run the village."

"It's not the entire council that's against Naruto, just three or four of the old hardliners," Tsunade shakes her head in protest.

"Those old farts aren't likely to retire or die anytime soon, not unless she holds off on retiring until they do and Naruto can assume command with little interference. Obviously, they'll have taken that into consideration and will do what they can now to take Naruto out of the running. If that doesn't succeed, they'll likely have a backup plan."

Tsunade sighs wearily, rubbing a hand across her eyes. "You've got a point, but as long as Naruto doesn't give up the dream, I won't give up on Naruto. Besides, the hardliners will certainly interfere with anyone I name if it happens to be someone they don't agree with or can control. They interfere far too much in my decisions as it is and I have to compromise with them too often. I'm not going to give in to them on this."

Jiraiya smirks at her. "Alright. Maybe I shouldn't waste my time wondering and see what I can to do to help our favorite brat get into office."

"Nice save from a major ass beating," Tsunade smirks back before leaving him to go back and treat Naruto.

* * *

Tsunade releases Naruto into Kakashi and Sasuke's care two hours later. They took all of Naruto's presents, as well as some of the leftovers from the picnic, back to Kakashi's apartment before going to the hospital to check up on the status of the redhead. The treatment is successful and Tsunade explains she shouldn't have any more trouble with her motor skills.

Tsunade does put Naruto under strict restrictions for a few days, emphasizing absolutely no physical training, strenuous or otherwise. She specifically charges Kakashi with making absolutely sure Naruto complies and gives him permission to restrain her if necessary.

Naruto's response is to growl threateningly at Tsunade.

Sasuke helpfully assured Tsunade he'd back Kakashi up if Naruto gives him too much trouble. He just smirks at the glare Naruto gives him. Satisfied with the situation Tsunade dismisses them.

Naruto walks between the two men in sulky silence.

Glances over, Sasuke states, "There's no point in being childish about it, doctor's orders."

"I feel picked on," she grumbles irritably. "I'm more than capable of following doctor's orders without needing anyone to police me."

Sasuke snorts derisively.

"Given your history of pushing yourself past reasonable limits, Tsunade-sama has every reason to be concerned, Naruto," Kakashi points out. "She wants to make sure you heal properly so you won't abruptly end your career as a shinobi."

Pouting, Naruto sighs in resignation. "I know that, but I don't have to like it. I'm a big girl and do actually follow doctor's orders sometimes." At Sasuke's raised eyebrow she snaps, "The last thing I want is to end up crippled and become a sitting duck for the Akatsuki. It wouldn't be impossible to defend myself from them, but it'd be a lot harder."

An uncomfortable silence falls between them at the reminder of the ongoing threat to Naruto, especially since it was Sasuke's assignment to capture her that brought him back to the village. They tacitly avoided the topic since she convinced Sasuke to return. There was an unspoken agreement that when the time was right they'll discuss it.

"We don't have to actually do anything since you intend on following Tsunade's instructions, making this discussion a moot point," Kakashi declares, glancing pointedly at Sasuke to drop the subject.

Naruto sighs and agrees. "I'm too tired to continue arguing about it anyway. It's been a long day. Especially after chasing Kiba and Konohamaru," she adds with a smirk.

"I wonder if the brat managed to get out of the tree yet," Sasuke comments, going with the change of subject.

As if in answer, a pissed Konohamaru stalks up to the trio.

"I was wondering when you were going to quit hanging around in the park, Konohamaru," Naruto quips.

Her comment elicits a groan from Kakashi.

She sniggers. "Sorry, it was too easy to resist."

Konohamaru points an accusing finger at Naruto with bits of leaves and branches still sticking out of various spots in his wild hair and shouts, "That was really unfair to leave me pinned high in a tree like a roasted duck!"

"Any idiot knows not to crack jokes about a woman's age," Sasuke mutters scornfully.

"Even the Boss has to admit it was a good joke! It didn't warrant that kind of retaliation!" Konohamaru yells indignantly.

Grinning, Naruto leans in and kisses Konohamaru on the cheek. "Thanks for the present, Kono. It really made my birthday fun."

Effectively shut down, Konohamaru gapes at the redhead in shock. She sweetly adds, "It helped prove I'm still more than capable of keeping up with you in my _old_ age and actually got my creative juices flowing should I need to do something like that _again_."

Noting the sinister glint in her eyes, Konohamaru gulps in fear, catching on to the implied threat hidden in her words. "I'm glad you enjoyed your birthday, Boss," the brunet stammers and promptly leaves.

After watching him quickly disappear from sight, the trio continues walking. Moments later Kakashi glances over and assesses Naruto with a shrewd eye.

Noticing him staring, Naruto asks, "What's wrong?"

"You deftly instilled abject terror in Konohamaru without breaking a sweat. Why hasn't Ibiki recruited you for the T & I department yet?"

"Ibiki tried," Naruto laughs, causing both men to gape in shock as she continues. "I turned him down. I didn't think I was hard enough for it. 'Sides, it never really was my thing anyway," she shrugs indifferently.

With a shudder Sasuke comments, "There's a terrifying thought."

Naruto playfully smacks his arm as they arrive at Kakashi's apartment. Kakashi and Naruto invite Sasuke to stick around until dinner, but he declines explaining he already has a prior commitment to play pool with Izumo and Kotetsu.

Kakashi and Naruto stare at him in shock.

At their stunned expressions Sasuke states, "I had no reason to turn them down." When they continue staring, he glares back. "They invited me." Sighing in defeat when they won't stop staring, he finally admits, "They seemed like fun guys to hang out with."

At Kakashi's raised brow and Naruto's smirk Sasuke glares at them. "You're the ones insisting on me becoming more sociable."

With a grin Naruto, steps forward and hugs him. "Thanks for coming to my birthday party and for the beautiful humming bird necklace you gave me."

Breaking into a blush, Sasuke mumbles a quick goodbye before leaving.

As he closes the door, Kakashi asks, "We're being a bad influence on him aren't we?"

"Yep. And I wouldn't have it any other way," Naruto quips, plopping down on the sofa. "Too bad that didn't happen before Orochimaru got his filthy hands on him."

"It probably wouldn't have made a difference. Sasuke was determined to tread that path no matter what," Kakashi shrugs, leaning against the door and stuffing his hands in his pocket.

Naruto only nods thoughtfully in agreement. After a few moments of silence, she stands up. "Well, since it's still early, I think I'm gonna follow doctor's orders and take a nap before dinner."

"Wait." Naruto blinks at Kakashi in confusion as he grabs her shoulders and guides her over to the table, pushing her down into a chair. "Stay put," he orders before disappearing down the hallway into his bedroom.

A moment later he returns with a simply wrapped present. "I forgot to bring it with me to the park, but at least this stretches out your birthday a little more."

Naruto rolls her eyes. "My birthday is the last thing I ever want drawn out."

As he settles into a chair next to her, Kakashi reaches over and ruffles her hair. "Now, now, no negative thoughts," he admonishes before ordering her to open her present.

Rolling her eyes again, but smirking this time she eagerly tears the wrapping paper off. She starts laughing when she opens the box, revealing a ceramic planter modeled after Pakkun filled with water, glass beads and three live bamboo shoots emerging from his back.

"I thought it'd be a nice change from the usual plant," Kakashi explains with a smile

"I love it," Naruto declares. Still chuckling she gets up from her seat. Kakashi stands as she hugs and kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you for putting up with my garbage and taking care of me," she states softly with a warm smile.

Returning her hug, Kakashi smiles. "Thank you for being in my life."

Stunned, Naruto starts blushing and looks away, unable to meet his eye.

Kakashi kisses her on the cheek adding, "I mean it." Naruto's blush deepens, causing Kakashi to chuckle as he releases her and nudges her towards her room. "You should go take your nap before your head explodes from all the blushing you've done today."

Recovering somewhat, Naruto smacks his arm before picking up her planter and leaving. As she turns to leave, Kakashi smacks her on the butt, eliciting a startled yelp, telling her to enjoy her nap as he moves towards the sofa.

Rubbing her butt with one hand, Naruto contemplates retaliating, but decides against it. She doesn't want to start a prank war with him because he can be sadistic when retaliating. Besides, she needs to be alone to process the strange feelings she got when she hugged him.

Kakashi settles onto the sofa with his trusty Icha Icha. He isn't focusing on the words as his mind replays the day's events. He's also missing the feel of Naruto in his arms.

He was never the touchy-feely type, especially towards his students, avoiding showing affection as much as possible. He was honest about it; he didn't want to get attached to the brats. It was part of the reason why he made the bell test so hard; it was to avoid the trouble of dealing with a team if they passed. Yet despite his best efforts, they still attached themselves to him like leeches.

Especially Naruto.

If anyone can be held accountable for changing his perspective as much as Obito did, it'd be her. He didn't mind. She's definitely a bright, vibrant spark in his life.

After Sasuke left and Sakura cut herself off from them, Naruto maintained and strengthened their bond. He's aware his feelings toward her long ago morphed from a student-teacher relationship. He thought it changed to something more along the lines of a brother-sister relationship, maybe something a little deeper and indefinable. However, now he questions if that's an accurate description. He isn't certain of his feelings towards her now, only that he felt something strange stirring in the pit of his stomach when she hugged and kissed him. He surprised himself by kissing her back.

Unable to make sense of his feelings, Kakashi decides it isn't worth figuring out and focuses his attention back onto his Icha Icha.

* * *

A/N: I know it doesn't seem that way, but Genma really is one of my favorite characters! I just didn't want to stick to the usual stable of bad guys and rely too much on them. Well, this chapter turned out longer than usual, but I hope it makes up for the delay. Feel free to review if the urge hits ya. Y'know you want to! ;P

I've been lazy about defining some of the Japanese terms, so if anyone has any questions, don't be embarrassed and ask. I'll be more than happy to explain the context I'm using them here for.


	9. Gradual Adjustments: Chapter 9

Life got busier for the members of the reformed Team Kakashi. Fluid teamwork led to high mission success rates, quickly making them the highest revenue earners for the village. As a result, Tsunade assigns them more high ranked missions, resulting in making their personal time non-existent.

That didn't mean certain members didn't try squeezing in what they can between missions, especially for the sake of existing relationships. After two serious discussions, Naruto decides to continue dating Genma. She knows he carries a lot of emotional baggage, but is willing to make the effort to work with him. However, as much as she wants to help him, she knows it's all on his shoulders.

She makes it very clear to the senbon specialist that she won't give him any more chances if he screws up again. If he doesn't respect himself enough to change his life for the better, she isn't bothering any more. She refuses to be his emotional target any longer. Genma promises to do better convincing Naruto to give him another chance, much to the irritation of her friends. A couple of them are very vocal about it, while others choose to remain quiet and trust her judgment.

Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi continue plodding away on their investigation into the Uchiha massacre. Now that they aren't dealing with classified documents, Sakura becomes more involved in the research with Sasuke's permission. Despite Naruto's assurances, he remained extremely wary of Sakura. It took months, but he's now finally convinced she has grown up considerably since her fan girl days. It didn't hurt to know her relationship with Ritsu appears rock solid. As a result, Sasuke became much friendlier towards the pink haired woman. He still isn't as close to her as he is to Kakashi and Naruto, but that's mostly due to the time they've spent together and their deeper, mutual understanding of one another.

The team spends a great deal of time meticulously going through all the records, searching for anything that looked like the Uchiha were planning a revolt. However, they turn up nothing as everything was accounted for and there were no unusual documents indicating such intentions. It has taken them a grand total of nearly four months to go through every scrap of paper in the main house to turn up nothing.

Sasuke is especially frustrated by their lack of progress. The chilly November weather outside echoes his bitter sentiment at not being able to prove either way the Uchiha clan's guilt or innocence.

"Are these all the documents belonging to the entire clan?" she asks, breaking him out of his brooding and snapping the file folder in her hands shut.

Reaching over, she stuffs it back into the file box sitting on the kotatsu in his living room. The darkening shadows outside belied the mid afternoon time as all four teammates finished gathering the remaining files spread out on the tabletop they had settled around to work.

"Everything regarding the clan in the main house," he replies absently.

Naruto and Kakashi gape at him dumbstruck. Sakura looks between the two in confusion while Sasuke arches a questioning brow at them.

"Are you saying there are records elsewhere? Like in the homes of the other clan members?" Naruto queries.

"Of course," Sasuke replies as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "The main house took care of all business relating to the clan as a whole. Otherwise, each family handled their own affairs."

"We should check the documents in each household then," Kakashi muses as Naruto nods her agreement.

Sasuke and Sakura look at them both as if they're crazy.

"That seems like an unnecessary amount of work," Sakura points out reasonably. "If the clan was planning a coup, the files should've been in the main house. The clan head would've been in on it and kept all information under his control. Allowing it to be anywhere else would've been too risky."

Naruto considers her words before asking, "What if it wasn't the entire clan? What if it was only a small group of Uchiha or just a couple of members?"

Kakashi nods, picking up her line of thought. "If that were the case, they certainly wouldn't share their plans with everyone, especially if they were in the minority with their beliefs."

"Any wayward members would've kept any incriminating evidence close by to avoid discovery," Naruto continues. "So, it's possible we might find something worthwhile in one of the other households in the district."

Tilting her head, Sakura considers their reasoning. "It's a possibility, but it seems like a long shot."

Sasuke remains silent during the entire exchange, allowing their words to wash over him before finally deciding to speak. "Long shot or not, we've come this far; might as well go all the way."

"We should start with the Uchiha names we've uncovered so far," Kakashi suggests. "It may not simply a case of their names being used illegally after their deaths. It's possible they may have been part of a conspiracy. They just continued being useful dead."

"What names?" Sakura asks in confusion since she wasn't involved in that portion of the investigation.

"It's getting late and we have to report to Tsunade's office early in the morning for our next mission, so the explanation will have to wait until we get back, Sakura," Kakashi explains.

Sakura pouts as she grudgingly nods her agreement and they all finish cleaning up to call it an early night.

* * *

Sakura didn't bother going home after leaving Sasuke's house. Instead, she heads directly to meet with Danzo. Sai happens to be with him and she proceeds to update them on the latest developments in the investigation.

Danzo sat in silence for several minutes when Sakura finishes. Finally, he looks back up at his two subordinates. "I was certain the investigation was about to end since all leads have been exhausted. Despite that, I did consider possibility the focus would shift to the Uchiha documents, but I was not concerned. I knew they would not find anything in the main house. However, I too had not considered the homes of the other clan members. It is possible there may be incriminating documents in the other households."

"Since Team Kakashi will be out on a mission starting tomorrow, it's the perfect time for Root to check all the Uchiha homes and destroy any evidence," Sakura suggests.

Danzo shakes his head. "I know which households they are likely to start searching first based on the names they have uncovered going through the council records. However, doing what you suggest is too obvious. They have not even revealed to you the names they will be checking, so it would be too coincidental if the documents from those homes suddenly turn up missing."

Danzo Pauses a few moments to lean back in his chair. "I doubt there is anything truly incriminating in those homes. Let us see what they uncover as it is possible it could be advantageous. In the meanwhile, we will seize the opportunity to take out the vessel permanently. Sai will shadow Team Kakashi and kill her when the chance presents itself. All I know of the mission is that it is an 'S' rank. I will not know more until morning. For now, you are dismissed, Sai."

Sai bows leaving Sakura alone with Danzo.

"Sakura, I have another patient for you to kill."

"Great," Sakura replies cheerfully before becoming serious again. "I have to become more creative with my kills. So far I've pinned the blame on someone else by making it look like an accident or an allergic reaction, but the deaths _are_ attracting attention. From what I've heard from that naggy bitch Shizune, the old hag only noticed a couple of kills and hasn't connected them, but the deaths are troubling her."

Danzo mulls this over before giving Sakura her orders. "Proceed with the kill. After that, we will have to ease up for awhile."

Sakura glowers at Danzo, who holds her gaze unperturbed. "We cannot afford to have you attract unwanted attention. You will wait until things cool down before you can start killing again."

Sakura continues pouting until an idea occurs to her, lighting up her face. "Not all kills have to be in the hospital, you know. Some patients fail to follow their medic's advice after they've been discharged," she grins at Danzo wickedly.

Danzo considers it. "I shall keep that in mind."

* * *

In the pre-dawn hours of morning Team Kakashi assembles in Tsunade's office. Inky darkness completely engulfs the outside world. Lining up at attention before their leader as she sits behind her desk, they are surprised by what she has for them.

"After dismissal, you will be departing as soon as you have your gear assembled for a 'S' rank mission," the blonde begins without preamble. "Three days ago an ANBU by the name of Ayashida Mayuko went missing, taking with her a top-secret list of Konoha friendly civilian contacts in various enemy territories."

Kakashi's gaze hardens at the news while Naruto looks stunned and appalled that one of their own would dare betray Konoha as Tsunade continues.

"The civilians on the list Mayuko stole aren't spies embedded deep in the upper echelons of their local governments or even a significant part of Jiraiaya's network. However, they provide basic info on events in their homeland as well as aid Konoha shinobi should they need help. I don't want to repay their loyalty with betrayal."

Tsunade pauses to reach down into a drawer in her desk, bringing out a manila folder. Flipping open, she summarizes the contents. "Ibiki and his team discovered that Mayuko was offered a very lucrative job working for Sakurogi Kakeru, a prominent Fire country businessman. Kakeru has great political aspirations. He made a deal with Mayuko to steal the list in exchange for a well paying job and shelter from hunter nins. Funding political goals doesn't come cheap, so he intends to sell the information on the black market regardless of the consequences."

"Why didn't she steal something more lucrative, like the identities of deep cover spies?" Sasuke interrupts. "Those civilian names will bring in some money, but not much."

"Because Kakeru wants to keep the risk to himself to a minimum. He knows those civilian names won't be as high a priority as a deep cover spy or high-ranking snitch. However, money is money and he recognizes the benefits of having a former ANBU on his payroll."

"Still a dumbass move on Kakeru's part," Naruto snorts. "It was possible you may not have sent anyone to retrieve the list, but any idiot knows we're not going to let a ANBU level rogue nin running loose for long if we can help it. Especially not in our own backyard."

"Mayuko probably convinced him the list was worth a lot of money and it would be a clean theft that wouldn't be traced," Kakashi points out. "Kakeru probably understands business better than shinobi matters."

Tsunade nods as she closes the file and continues. "Your mission is to retrieve, if possible, the contact list. If retrieval isn't possible you are to destroy it. Although, I'd like for you to take care of Kakeru, you can't. He's too well connected. However, Kakashi and Naruto have the separate mission of eliminating Mayuko, no apprehensions."

"I chose Team Kakashi to handle this volatile situation because of your two ANBU members. I normally wouldn't send Sakura and Sasuke along, but I want this taken care of as quickly and quietly as possible. Naruto and Kakashi need to take care of Mayuko and I don't have any other ANBU available to handle the retrieval." Tsunade levels her intense gaze at Sasuke and Sakura. "I feel you both are more than capable of handling the retrieval. However, you cannot afford to fail or be caught. The delicacy of this situation is such it can't be known that Konoha is involved." Tsunade pauses for everyone's acknowledgement. "Assemble your gear and be out of here within the hour. Dismissed."

* * *

Within a half an hour Team Kakashi is geared up and well on their way to the northern borders of Fire country where their target resides. It normally takes four days to make it to the northern borders, but they plan on pushing hard to make the trip in two. Winter arrived early this year and the skies have been overcast for days, promising more snow. Their journey is uneventful and by dusk of their arrival day, they meet up with their heavily cloaked contact in the forest.

Their contact provides them the details regarding Kakeru's solitary, palatial estate located fifteen kilometers from the nearest village. She also informs them that Kakeru hasn't sold the contact list yet. He knows Konoha will be looking for the list and Mayuko, so he is waiting for things to cool down before traveling to the nearest black market in a village in Wind.

The contact explains that Mayuko is currently hiding in a servant's cottage on the far, southeast edge of the estate bordered by forestland. It is the largest and most secluded cottage on the property. She is seldom seen out of doors. In fact, few servants are even aware she is there. Any food or supplies she needs is delivered by the same pair of servants. Kakeru promised to shelter her unless the hunter nin discover her, then he does not want to risk getting caught.

The contact then provides them with a map of the layout of the property, advising them that Kakeru runs on a strict schedule and retrieval of the list will be extremely difficult. He rises at dawn and leaves for his office in the village after breakfast an hour later to return by five every evening. He eats dinner right at seven before retiring to his private chambers for the rest of the night, rarely leaving his room again.

Daytime is when they'll have their chance to enter the room. There will be many servants entering the room throughout the day to clean and do anything else Kakeru requests. They have no set schedule for their tasks; however, the maids do tend to tidy up the room in the morning after he leaves. The safe is hidden behind an ornately carved panel in the headboard of his bed and only Kakeru knows the combination.

The contact completes the debriefing by explaining the schedule and routes walked by the estate guards before leaving Team Kakashi.

The team promptly moves away from the rendezvous point and sets up camp in a cave they found deep in the forest. When finished, Kakashi begins his portion of the debriefing, addressing Sakura and Sasuke specifically.

"You two are to infiltrate the estate grounds before dawn and wait for Kakeru to leave for the day. You'll make entry through one of the upper floor windows of a guest bedroom on the far side of mansion and make your way to the master bedroom. The list is probably a small, non-descript scroll, but aside from being in the safe, it's unlikely there are any protective seals around it. Mayuko has no skill in creating her own seals. She may use a sensing seal many ANBU carry that alerts the user of an intruder. She most likely placed them on the windows of the bedroom to notify her of intruders. Once you retrieve the list, exit through the master bedroom windows. By the time the seal alerts Mayuko of the breach, you should already be halfway across the compound by the time she arrives to investigate."

"A snowstorm is expected to hit the area sometime tomorrow. It's good cover, but you need to be careful because it's expected to be strong. Sakura will take the first watch and switch with Sasuke later. Naruto and I will rest for a couple of hours before leaving commence our portion of the mission. We will rendezvous back here at cave by sunset tomorrow."

The three younger ninjas acknowledge their orders before breaking up for the night. Sakura exits the cave and makes herself comfortable on the broad bough of a tree near the entrance of the cave while everyone else settles in for the night.

Two hours later Sai perches in the bough above her and quietly she explains the plan to him.

When she finishes Sai takes his turn to debrief her. "Mayuko is a Root member who stole the list under Danzo-sama's orders. Kakeru paid to get his hands on the list believing it will bring more money on the black market. Danzo-sama wished the chance to embarrass the Godaime."

"Mayuko's Root?" Sakura asks, shocked as Sai nods. "How the fuck could she be so careless and get busted?"

"Mayuko wasn't one of our best operatives," Sai explains. "Danzo-sama leaked more details to Tsunade-sama, hoping she'll clean up the mess. He knew she'd only trust her most loyal lap dogs for this assignment. Mayuko believes Danzo-sama has given her a chance to redeem herself by killing Naruto, but we are to finish her off on the remote chance she survives Kakashi and Naruto."

Sakura ponders the information for a moment. "I wonder if I should botch the retrieval."

"It doesn't concern Danzo-sama if the list stays in Kakeru's possession," Sai calmly explains. "He got what he paid for and it's his to keep or lose. I will be meeting with Mayuko when we are finished. She will think I'm assisting her in killing Naruto."

Rolling her eyes, Sakura mutters, "What an idiot."

Sai smiles before disappearing into the inky darkness.

* * *

Four hours later it is pitch black outside as Naruto and Kakashi awaken, collect their gear and quietly leave camp without a word to Sakura. It's another two hours before Sasuke takes his shift and Sakura rests.

Kakashi and Naruto stop in a secluded area of the forest about ten kilometers from the estate. Neither speaks as they change into their ANBU uniforms. She pins her hair into a tight bun before covering it with a black hairnet to obscure the color and donning her brand new Ermine mask. Once ready, they crouch low together to confer for a few minutes before departing for the estate. They stealthily infiltrate the grounds, taking up separate positions to observe the cottage from the shadows.

* * *

It's still dark when Sasuke wakes Sakura. They break camp quickly and head for the estate. Before heading in, they change into white or off-white clothing and Sakura wraps her head in a cream colored scarf.

Separately they sneak onto the grounds to reduce the risk of detection and rendezvous at a gardener's shed near the main house. Checking the area to make sure it's clear, they steal up to the house before wall walking to the roof. They make their way stealthily to the area above the master bedroom and conceal themselves in the shadow of a chimney to wait for Kakeru to leave for the day.

As they wait, Sasuke activates his Sharingan and scans the room carefully to check for any traps. Slowly the sun creeps over the horizon as the estate gradually comes alive. Eventually they witness Kakeru leave the estate like clockwork.

Waiting until mid-morning, they make their way to the shaded side of the house. Sakura casts a camouflage genjutsu over them and wall walks with Sasuke back down the side of the house. Cautiously, they peer into the windows, checking to see if anyone is inside. Noting it's clear Sasuke carefully unlocks the window and opens it while Sakura scans the vicinity to see if they've drawn any attention from the few passerby on the grounds below.

The wind is already picking up and anyone daring to brave the frigid temperatures outside rush to complete their business before returning indoors. Sasuke makes entry followed immediately by Sakura. Shutting and locking the window, both move to listen at door to the hallway.

Hearing footsteps approaching, both disappear into the shadows. The door opens and a maid enters. She walks over to the window and shivers at the cold air in the room, grumbling to herself about drafty old houses. Opening the window she leans out and closes the storm shutters tight.

Just as she closes the window another servant enters the room and asks, "Can you help me downstairs?"

"I was about to go clean the master's chambers," the maid answers him in slight irritation.

"We need to prepare for the coming storm before the master returns home," he insists.

"Oh, alright," she agrees reluctantly. "As long as you return the favor and help me clean his chambers or there'll be hell to pay."

The servant agrees and leads them out.

After the door closes, Sakura and Sasuke emerge from the shadows. Listening again at the door for any passerby, they cautiously open it to peer into the dimly lit hallway. Seeing it's clear, Sakura steals down the hallway to peer around the corner of another corridor.

Activating his eyes, Sasuke leans around her to check for any traps before nodding for her to continue. They proceed to another junction. Before they can even look, they hear voices approaching. They climb the walls towards the ceiling and Sakura casts another genjutsu over them to blend in with the shadows.

Two more servants round the corner discussing the need to bring in more firewood into the master's chambers before the weather worsens.

One comments they better hurry and finish all their chores because the master will likely return early with the weather turning so rapidly.

Silently, Sakura and Sasuke share a look from their hiding place, knowing the clock was ticking. Climbing down the wall they complete their journey to the master bedroom. Listening at the door they don't hear anything before entering and locking the door behind them.

It's obvious the servants haven't cleaned yet since the bed is still unmade and clothes still litter the floor. Sakura keeps watch at the door while Sasuke works on opening the safe.

No seal or genjutsu was used on the safe, but on his initial scan with the Sharingan when they entered the room. Sasuke notices the protective seal on the windows, just as Kakashi predicted. The safe is a simple combination safe and Sasuke uses the Sharingan to crack the code. Carefully turning the dial, he notices when the dial hitches slightly on certain numbers.

Less than a minute later he's digging through the contents for what he is looking for. He finds the scroll easily, but his eye falls on another document. Picking it up, he glances at it. His eyes widen slightly when he realizes it's a receipt for payment for the list. It doesn't say to whom the payment was made, but it's clear that it was made to someone in Konoha.

"Did you find the list yet?" Sakura hisses impatiently from her position by the door.

Sasuke nods as he closes the safe. He climbs off the bed, pocketing the list and the receipt.

Going to the window both pause as they henge to look like sound ninja. Naruto half-jokingly suggested the disguise in case anyone spots them. Sakura casts another genjutsu over them to blend in with the shadows. Then Sasuke quickly opens it and they both exit. Quickly shutting the window again, they wall walk to the roof. Moving to the far side of the house, they leap down to the roof of the gardener's shed nearby before returning to the ground and staying close to the shadows.

The master bedroom faces the servant's cottage Mayuko is hiding in. Sasuke and Sakura need to move quickly before she comes after them.

They finally reach the last of the structures on the property and face crossing a wide expanse of snow then a wall three meters high before they can reach the shelter of the woods. The weather is worsening and snow has begun to fall in flurries with the sky promising worse to come.

Directing chakra to their feet both step cautiously onto the snow. Snow is more difficult to walk on than any other substance as it's a delicate combination of water and air, but they need to leave as little evidence of their little visit as possible. When they achieve the right balance, both take off running towards the wall. Leaping before they even reach it, they land effortlessly onto the wall, vaulting gracefully into the trees without touching the ground again.

* * *

The seals on the windows alerted Ayashida Mayuko that Kakeru's room had been breached. She frowned at the implications. She knew hunter nin would be after her, but thought the theft had gone undetected. Sai made no mention of it when he visited her during the night.

Mayuko wasn't surprised Tsunade assigned the task of her elimination to Hound and Ermine. Sai explained he was there to assist her because Danzo-sama needs her to maintain her working relationship with Kakeru. However, her orders are to kill Ermine. Hound is not to be killed, but harmed enough to force his return to Konoha. Before he disappeared into the night, Sai stated Ermine and Hound aren't scheduled to arrive for another two days.

Now it appears her pursuers arrived early and have the additional task of retrieving the list. In addition to killing a powerful ANBU, she has to retrieve the list or she won't be able to maintain her relationship with Kakeru like Danzo-sama wants.

Quickly donning her ANBU uniform again, Mayuko finishes tying on her Crow mask as she strides over to one of the upstairs windows of the cottage. Sliding it open, she leaps out and races towards the main house. Her path is blocked by two cloaked hunter nins with two more rapidly approaching her flanks in an attempt to surround her. Sai was wrong about Tsunade sending hunter nin. Reacting quickly, she changes directions and charges full speed towards the forest. Kakeru would not be pleased if his property were damaged from battle.

Glancing briefly behind her, Mayuko notices all four hunter nins closing in fast. Charging into the forest, she flew back and forth from tree to tree, making it difficult for her pursuers to get a bead on her.

Reaching into her pouch, she produces four kunai with explosive tags attached. Two of her pursuers flank her on both sides while the other two bring up the rear. Without looking, she tosses a kunai just ahead of each of her flanking pursuers and immediately tosses the other two directly behind her. Speeding through the trees, she doesn't spare a glance to see if any of her pursuers survive the explosions.

Changing directions again she travels a couple more kilometers before stopping amidst a thick copse. Pulling her cloak around herself tighter, the missing nin scans the area for any sign of her pursuers. The sky has darkened considerably and the snow is coming down harder. Considering her options, she knows she must retrieve the scroll, but her pursuers must come first.

A net flies at her out of nowhere and she barely dodges out of the way. Sprinting off in another direction, she heads for an isolated pond nearby. As the pond comes into view, one of the hunter nin maneuvers ahead and she engages him. The fight is brief as she is able to move behind him and snap his neck. Before the body hits the ground, it poofs out of existence. She barely acknowledges it was a Kage Bunshin before she is fighting off another hunter. It takes a little longer, but she stabs this one in the throat, causing the hunter disappear in a small cloud of smoke.

Mayuko races for the pond, vaguely wondering if the last two are Kage Bunshin. If they are, that means her real pursuers are out there somewhere. Waiting. If she can't take them out amongst the trees, her best bet is to head to an open area. Unfortunately the woods in this region are fairly thick with very few clearings. The pond is the largest in the area and frozen over.

Before she reaches the pond, one of her pursuers appears in front, cutting her off. Dropping down into the clearing to square off against them, Mayuko senses another presence drop in behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she spies the last one. These two are likely the real hunters.

Dodging another net, she leaps towards the nearest tree. Her legs bend against the trunk to absorb her momentum as she rebounds toward the hunter nin behind her, drawing her ninjato in one fluid motion. The clang of metal barely heard amidst the fierce, raging winds as both opponents cross blades. Springing away, Mayuko rebounds off another trunk to cross swords in midair again. Before their blades connect, she twists around, maneuvering behind her pursuer and driving the tip of her blade home through the heart. Her victory is short-lived as the nin disappears into smoke right before her shocked eyes.

Landing before the last remaining hunter, she opens her senses to scan the area for any other chakra signatures. Either this last one is another Kage Bunshin, or there may be another hunter hiding out amongst the increasing snowdrifts.

There is only one way to find out.

Mayuko charges her hunter. Crossing swords, this one proves to be far more skilled with a blade. Finding it difficult to keep on top of the deepening snow, she attempts to take to the trees only to be blocked by the charging blade of her opponent. Bringing her blade up quickly she uses the force from blocking their thrust to leap backwards into another tree. Twisting around she aligns her body upside down and grabs a bare branch. Swinging down and up, she lets go and drives her foot into the hunter's gut, sending them flying to the ground into a deep snowdrift. Not giving them a chance to recover, she immediately follows, holding her blade high to drive it through the porcelain mask right between their eyes.

Mayuko doesn't have long to wonder if she killed the real thing or took out another clone as her victim disappears in a small cloud of smoke. Sensing a sudden chakra spike from behind, she drops low as she whirls around, shouting, "Earth Shore Return!"

Slamming a hand to the ground, a large dirt wall bursts forth from the snow in front of her, blocking a large fireball aimed at her back.

The wall shatters as a female voice calls out, "Whirlwind Fist!"

As it disintegrates amidst a small, vicious whirlwind, Mayuko leaps back to avoid an attack by Ermine. Keeping her attacker in front of her, she leaps up into a tree, drawing several shuriken from her pouch. Scarcely touching down on a branch, she leaps backwards from tree to tree, hooking the shuriken on her thumbs through the center holes and quickly flashing through some hand seals while Ermine continues her pursuit.

Before the last seal Mayuko hurls the shuriken then forms the sign of the Tiger. Spewing fire, she inflames the shuriken as they fly directly at Ermine. Following too closely, Ermine has no time to react as she's hit by the flaming shuriken.

Mayuko swears when Ermine disappears in a cloud of smoke. Leaping towards the ground she dives into a snowdrift as Ermine lands softly nearby.

Approaching cautiously, Ermine barely has time to leap away when she hears Mayuko's voice crying, "Rock Staff!"

Several spears made of rock explode from the drift right at her.

Reacting, Ermine cries out, "Wind Cutter!"

Throwing her hand out in front, she releases a large slice of wind, disintegrating the spears before they can touch her. Landing swiftly on a branch, Ermine leaps away, barely dodging a fireball spewed at her by Mayuko.

Mayuko is relentless, closely tracking Ermine as she leaps from tree to tree in an effort to keep away from the flames.

Far too engrossed in her little game, Mayuko barely notices another spike of chakra behind her as she hears a male voice call out, "Earth Flow River!"

Just as she turns to face her new opponent, she barely has enough time to recognize the famous Hound forming the sign of the tiger before she is swept off her feet by a river of mud.

Not giving her a chance to recover when the flow finally stops near the shore of the pond, Hound races forward, flashing quickly through a series of seals as he calls out, "Earth Style Wall!"

Mayuko suddenly finds herself enclosed in an earth wall decorated with dog sculptures.

As Hound approaches her prison, he hears Mayko's muffled shout, "Rising Stone Spears!"

Suddenly the sculptured walls shatter as the mud hardens into protruding spikes, freeing her and nearly skewering Hound.

Standing amidst the clay rubble, Mayuko's hands blur through seals as she calls out, "Ash Pile Burning!"

A superheated ash bursts from her mouth and races toward Hound. Before the fast moving cloud can overtake him, Mayuko feels an immense surge of chakra and spins around to see two Ermines standing behind her a short distance up the shore.

One yells, "Tearing Torrent!" after collecting a large water vapor spiral in her hand before hurling it in Mayuko's direction. The other Ermine appears to be collecting chakra in her hand before shouting, "Typhoon Water Vortex!"

Strong winds violently thrash, mixing in with the water vapor spiral the other Ermine released, creating a blinding torrent around Mayuko.

Blinded, she guesses when the vortex starts drawing in her ash cloud as she continues blowing it out. Before the water in the torrent can cool the ash completely, Mayuko drops low to the ground as she clicks her teeth, igniting the ash into a violent rocking explosion.

Once the conflagration passes, Mayuko scrambles to her feet in time to see Ermine skidding on her back towards the center of the frozen pond. Leaping away, she barely avoids a strike by Hound. Having lost her ninjato during her battles with the clones, she defends and counters with a kunai in each hand.

Although tired from fighting, she grits her teeth, striking and slashing viciously at Hound. Managing to catch him off guard with a powerful kick that sends him flying, Mayuko spins in time to deflect a barrage of kunai hurled at her back by Ermine as she races back towards the battle.

Blasting another fireball from her mouth at Ermine, Mayuko spins to avoid Hound's thrust with his ninjato and strikes him in the heart with her kunai. Smirking behind her mask at besting the famous Hound, her victory is short lived as he disintegrates into lightning. Without a sound her body jerks and twitches until the jolts peter out and her corpse falls hard to the ground.

Hound calmly walks over to the body and crouches down next to it, verifying his lightning shadow clone had in fact killed her. Confirming her death, Hound looks over to the pond for Ermine since she hasn't reached the shore yet. Frowning behind his mask when he doesn't see her, Hound rises to his feet and looks around.

Visibility is extremely poor from the storm, but he should at least see her form, especially out on the expansive ice. It didn't taken long to finish off Mayuko after Ermine's distraction and she was running on the ice towards them.

With the unease in his gut growing rapidly, Hound steps out onto the ice towards her last known position. He barely manages to keep from plunging into the freezing water when he nearly steps into the broken surface.

Alarmed, Hound enhances his senses with chakra to get a location on Ermine. He gets a faint read on her chakra a few yards to his right where the ice remains unbroken. Focusing chakra to his feet in case the ice is weak, he quickly moves to the location only to find it empty, yet her chakra is reading stronger.

Instinct directs him to crouch and examine the ice. Even wiping away the snow piling on the surface he is still unable to see a thing. Without wasting another moment he lays on his stomach, directing chakra to reinforce the ice underneath him. Certain that Ermine is in the water underneath the ice, Hound forms a Chidori. However, instead of the usual cacophony of chirps it trills of one or two birds. He props himself up with his free arm and drives his fist into the ice, creating a decent sized hole.

His arm frantically searches the dark, freezing water only to come up empty. Switching arms, he is promptly rewarded when his hand snags on something. Pulling on the object, he drags it towards him. Hound caught the back strap for the scabbard of Ermine's ninjato. Plunging his other hand back into the water, he maneuvers her body so he can drag her out. Moving into a sitting position to give himself more leverage, an unconscious Ermine emerges through the hole with much difficulty. Hound wastes no time gathering her into his arms and racing for the shore.

Once on land, Hound sets her down before channeling chakra into the ground, using the Hiding Like A Mole jutsu to dig underground and create a small chamber several yards below the surface. Returning to Ermine quickly, he picks her up and moves her into the chamber.

Pulling out his storage scroll he summons his knapsack. He takes out his emergency chakra lamp, igniting it with some chakra to light the darkened chamber. Rolling Ermine off her back onto her side, he digs into her weapons pouch for her storage scroll and summons her knapsack.

Hound pulls out Ermine's jounin uniform and changes her. Storing her wet ANBU uniform and knapsack back into the scroll, Hound wraps her in a blanket before returning to the surface.

Normal protocol when dealing with a missing nin's corpse is to follow the same disposal procedures as the Hunter nins. However, since he needs to get Naruto to Sakura for emergency medical attention he didn't have the luxury. Plus, the storm was already raging fiercely. He knows it'd be safer for the both of them to shelter in the chamber and wait until the storm passes. He is no medic, but he has enough experience with hypothermia to know she is in bad shape and needs immediate treatment.

Deciding to gamble, he plans on carrying Naruto the ten kilometers to the rendezvous point. They planned to direct Mayuko into this specific area so Naruto could use her water jutsu easier. It was an ideal location because of the close proximity to the rendezvous point. Taking out a blank storage scroll, Hound kneels next to the body and transfers Mayuko's corpse into it for later disposal. Once finished, he returns to the chamber. Changing back into his jounin uniform, Kakashi wraps Naruto's unresponsive body in his ANBU cloak before settling her on his back and racing to the rendezvous point.

Although they didn't have far to go, it is difficult due to the raging storm and extremely poor visibility. It isn't even sunset yet, but it's nearly dark as night out. Knowing that jostling a hypothermia victim is dangerous Kakashi does his best to keep from accidentally triggering a heart attack in Naruto. He's already feeling the effects of the cold, but pushes hard.

He's nearly at his limit when he finally lands outside the cave they made their rendezvous point. They knew there was a very good chance they wouldn't be out of the area before the storm hit, so they use the same cave they camped out in the night before. It is far enough away from Kakeru's estate and isolated enough to allow them to safely spend the night.

Kakashi ran a few paces into the entrance of the cave before being greeted by Sasuke and Sakura asking what happened when they see him carrying Naruto.

Ignoring the question for the moment, Kakashi brushes past them and asks over his shoulder, "I take it you got the list?"

Following him through the narrowing passageway to a small cavern where they set up camp.

"Our part of the mission was successful. We didn't encounter any resistance and I've got the list in my possession," Sasuke explains.

"What happened to Naruto," Sakura asks from behind Kakashi.

Briefly Kakashi explains as he reaches the area where they set up camp. Gently he lowers Naruto onto a bedroll located near the small fire with Sasuke and Sakura's help.

Sakura immediately gets to work examining Naruto while asking Kakashi more specific questions about how long she was in the water and what he did for treatment afterwards. Kakashi is unable to tell her much and it isn't long until Sakura completes her assessment.

Sakura tucks a blanket around Naruto before turning to her teammates. "Naruto is definitely suffering from Stage Three hypothermia. She's got almost all the symptoms. Her core body temperature is probably below 32 degrees Celsius judging by the bluish tinge and puffiness of her skin. I checked her eyes and they're dilated. Plus, her muscles are rigid and her heart and respiration rates have decreased significantly. If her core temperature continues falling her major organs will start failing, increasing the risk of a heart attack."

Sakura gives her teammates time to digest the information before addressing Kakashi. "You did the right thing by getting Naruto to a warm, dry place and changing her out of her wet clothing immediately. Since her temperature is so low it'd be better if we could get her to a hospital because they have the equipment to raise the body temperature as quickly as possible. Since we can't, we're going to have to treat her by slowly raising her body temperature and hoping for the best. So we're going to have to sleep together."

Sasuke and Kakashi stare back dumbstruck.

Sakura can't help but be amused by their expressions, especially Sasuke's. She can't remember him ever blushing like that before.

Rolling her eyes she states, "Get your minds out of the gutter. The best way to re-warm Naruto is through close body contact and since her core temperature is so low I feel it's better if she were sandwiched between two bodies. A human incubator, if you will."

"Why can't we just wrap her in warm blankets and keep her close to the fire?" Sasuke asks, still recovering from his embarrassment at misunderstanding Sakura's statement.

Sakura shakes her head. "Blankets alone aren't enough because Naruto isn't generating her own body heat to make them effective. Laying her by the fire is definitely out of the question as it might warm her up too quickly. We're also in a drafty cave and it's harder to maintain a steady temperature. Besides, as her body slowly warms she may wake up, probably disoriented and irrational, increasing the risk of injuring herself."

Sasuke looks over at Kakashi. "Are you up to digging another underground chamber? If it's underneath the campfire, the radiant heat should keep it sufficiently and steadily warm."

Kakashi considers it before answering. "The heat may not radiate into the chamber since we can't have the fire burning hot enough, but a small chamber would be further out of the draft."

"It's a good idea," Sakura agrees. "The radiant heat from the fire may not affect the inner temperature of the chamber, but the body heat off of the two sleeping on either side of Naruto should keep it warm enough."

Without wasting any more time Kakashi immediately starts using the Hiding like a Mole ninjutsu again, creating a small room a couple of yards underneath the fire. The entrance to the narrow crawlspace is located away from the direction of the mouth of the cave to keep as much of the draft out as possible. As an added precaution, Sasuke suggests that whoever is on watch covers the entrance with a blanket pinned in place by rocks.

As Kakashi works, Sasuke suggests, "Just the two of us should keep watch tonight. Kakashi almost looks as bad as Naruto."

Sakura nods. "I think Kakashi might have frostbite. Once I can corner him to examine and treat him, I want him resting. Or else," she glowers.

Sasuke smirks at her expression, secretly glad he's not the focus of her ire.

Once Kakashi finishes the chamber, Sasuke helps him carefully transfer Naruto into the small space. The chamber is large enough for them to sit up in and wide enough for three people to move around comfortably. Once Kakashi and Sasuke set up the sleeping rolls to accommodate three people and settle Naruto in the center, Sakura pounces on Kakashi.

"Sakura, I'm fine," Kakashi states succinctly.

"Don't make me put your lights out to treat your frostbite," she growls, pointing to the ground in a silent order to sit.

Sighing heavily, Kakashi complies, removing his gloves and pushing up his sleeves so she can examine him. Sakura takes her time, running chakra through her hands to help with her diagnostic. Once she finishes with his arm she reaches up and removes his hitai-ate to check the exposed areas around his eyes. She silently notes the skin around his eyes and most of his upper arms have a slight yellow cast, while his hands and his forearms are redder and slightly swollen. She figures the porcelain mask he wears for ANBU offered little protection against the cold.

"Are you experiencing any pain?" she asks.

Kakashi considers lying, but notices the expression on Sakura's face. She already knows the answer and wants his confirmation. "Overall an aching pain, but mostly a slight burning sensation. It hurts more when I move," he admits reluctantly.

"You're lucky most of it is mild and easy to treat," she murmurs, digging into her medic bag for supplies. It doesn't take long for her to wrap his hands and arms in sterile dressings, separating his fingers. "When you settle next to Naruto for the night, tuck your hands between your arms and body to warm them. I can't do much for your eyes because wrapping them will effectively blind you. If we were home it'd be a different story. So I'll keep checking on them. Don't rub or massage the injured sites," she warns sternly. "It'll be hard not to as they heal. The pain is likely to worsen, your skin will redden and you may experience increased tingling and burning in the worst areas. However, it should be significantly better after a night's rest."

"I have to take my shift on watch," Kakashi mildly points out. "So, I'll rest later."

Sakura glares and points to Naruto. "Lie down," she commands, earning a pointed glare from him.

Before Kakashi can pull rank, Sasuke speaks up, his voice tinged with amusement. "Sakura and I can handle watch. Besides, frostbite does count as a significant enough injury to allow Sakura to pull rank as the team's medical specialist and hurt you if necessary."

Sighing in defeat, Kakashi grudgingly settles in next to Naruto.

Sakura checks Naruto one last time before climbing out of the den to take the first shift.

Sasuke tried insisting on taking the first shift, avoiding mentioning that he isn't entirely comfortable sleeping next to Naruto.

"If any problems arise with Naruto, I can react faster if I'm already awake," Sakura explains. "Ideally, her body temperature should increase one to two degrees per hour, so her core temperature should be back to normal within five hours. If we're lucky she'll sleep through the whole process."

Having no counter argument Sasuke lets her take the first watch and reluctantly settles down on the other side of the redhead. Both men can't help but shiver as their bodies touch Naruto's. Getting as comfortable as possible, Sasuke lowers the chakra lamp to a dim glow before closing his eyes.

Kakashi shifts onto his side and studies Naruto's still form in the dim light for several minutes. Reaching out, he lightly touches her cheek before settling onto his back and closing his eyes.

Sasuke finds it hard to sleep. Partially because Naruto's body is so cold it's leeching all the warmth, making him cold and uncomfortable. The other reason is because he's sleeping next to Naruto.

He noticed many things about the redhead a long time ago and already realizes he has grown increasingly attracted to her. Since she's dating Genma, though, he kept his feelings to himself. However, lying next to what he considers to be his ideal wife is making it very difficult to sleep. His thoughts shifts from thinking of her inappropriately to how he could make her break up with Genma and go out with him. His mind is so occupied he never notices when he finally drifts off to sleep.

* * *

Sakura sat several yards from the fire closer to the entrance of the cave. The weather made it too dangerous to be outside for her watch like the previous night.

Pulling her winter cloak tighter about her shoulders, she curses Kakashi's stubbornness. If he bothered to use common sense that flame haired bitch would've been dead by morning. But noooo, he just has to cling to that idiotic belief of not letting his comrades die. What an idiot. Actually, she can't decide who is the bigger idiot, Kakashi, Sai or Mayuko. Two Root ANBU and a fierce snowstorm and they can't kill one woman?

Going by Kakashi's account, Sai took advantage of an ideal opportunity to take down Naruto. Yet he fails to kill her again. Sakura wonders if that fool Mayuko even attempted to kill the redhead before being wiped out. Without knowing specific details, Sakura is sure Mayuko hadn't even scratched the baka. If she weren't dead, Sakura would've killed her for her stupidity.

Sensing another presence approaching from the cave entrance Sakura looks up at the familiar signature as Sai walks over while dusting off the snow and sits down next to her.

Sakura glares at him in silence as he studies her.

"Judging by your expression, Naruto survived again," Sai states unperturbed.

"She was still alive when Kakashi brought her in," Sakura snaps. "So you failed to kill her. Again."

Sai shrugs. "It didn't make sense for Kakashi to take such a risk and carry her through the storm. I followed them and there were a couple of moments where I thought he wouldn't make it."

"Why the hell didn't you take them out since they were both vulnerable?" Sakura asks.

"Danzo-sama was explicit that we not touch the Copy nin. Besides, Sasuke would've insisted on investigating their deaths and that could cause problems later. Plus, the storm was too strong for me to arrange a suitable accident. I barely managed to follow them and there was no way I could've moved in front of them with enough time to set up a trap ahead of them."

"You're nothing but an idiot," Sakura growls. Before he can reply, she asks, "What about Mayuko?"

Sai briefly details her battle against Kakashi and Naruto. "Mayuko didn't stand a chance and Kakashi was the one to finish her off."

"And what did you set up for Naruto?"

"When I realized where they were heading, I raced ahead to the pond. I broke into the ice on a far, hidden corner and drew an octopus, sending it into the hole. Once Mayuko knocked Naruto onto the ice, the octopus broke through and grabbed her by the ankles, dragging her into the water. It dragged her beneath the still intact portions of the ice and was supposed to hold her under until she either drowned or succumbed to the cold. I'm not sure how, but I felt the octopus dispel. It wasn't long afterwards that Kakashi located her and broke through with a Chidori to drag her out."

Sakura blows out a harsh breath in frustration. "If Kakashi hadn't insisted on keeping us out of their portion of the mission, I might've been able to distract him long enough from realizing Naruto fell through the ice."

"That would've meant Sasuke being there and he might've prevented Mayuko from even luring Naruto out onto the ice," Sai replies, shaking his head before asking, "What is their status?"

Sakura briefly explains Kakashi's and Naruto's conditions.

"Is there's any way you can finish off Naruto?" Sai asks.

Sakura sighs heavily. "I've been thinking about it. I could've let Sasuke take the first watch so I could trigger a heart attack, but Naruto's core temperature is so low that she won't die from it until she warmed up. That isn't likely to happen until morning. And I'd have to treat the condition, especially since I just finished my cardiology training. The old hag would find it suspicious I couldn't save the baka because I did so well in my training. Naruto's core temperature is dangerously low, lower than what I told Kakashi and Sasuke. Her condition requires more aid than I'm bothering to give. I wanted to increase Naruto's chance of dying without it being suspicious. However, considering our luck so far, I wouldn't bet any money on that outcome. All I can do is hope that the baka doesn't survive the night."

Sai considers it before answering. "There will be more opportunities. We still have four days travel ahead of us and a lot can happen in that time."

"That's if nothing raises Sasuke's or Kakashi's suspicions and puts them on guard," Sakura points out.

"Then you better make certain that doesn't happen," Sai states, ignoring her glare before climbing to his feet and leaving.

Sakura moves back closer to the fire to sulk the remainder of her shift.

* * *

Kotatsu-low, round table often found in Japanese homes.

Baka-idiot, moron.

Fifteen kilometers-a little over .6 miles.

Ten kilometers-6.2 miles

Hypothermia-when the core body temperature drops below 35 degrees C (95 F)

32 degrees Celsius-89.6 Fahrenheit

_If I miss anything, just ask. Please feel free to review. Until next time!_


	10. Gradual Adjustments: Chapter 10

I want to thank everyone who has left a legitimate review on this story. I know I missed responding to a couple of you, but know that I greatly appreciate you taking the time to tell me how much you're enjoying this story so far. I apologize for the dealy in updating and thank you for reading.

* * *

The howling winds and biting cold of the blizzard raging fiercely batters the world outside the isolated cave. However, the roar and brutal temperatures are barely registered by the sharp senses of the occupants sleeping inside the cozy chamber nestled beneath the cave floor.

Nearly three hours have passed since Kakashi returned bearing an unconscious Naruto. The night hasn't been completely uneventful in the chamber. An hour earlier, Naruto began shivering violently, rousing both Kakashi and Sasuke from their sleep. Sasuke agreed with Kakashi's suggestion of shifting her onto her side so they could nestle closer to her. Once Sasuke shifts into place, nestling into her back he drifts back to sleep quickly. He ignores any randomly perverted thoughts since it wouldn't be long until he relieved Sakura from watch.

Kakashi shifts away from the redhead and shuffles his back against her as close as possible. Twisting to look over his shoulder at Naruto in the dim light, he notes the puffiness is gone from her skin and her coloring improving. Even in the shadowed light he could tell that most of the bluish tinge is gone except from her ears and lips. She's pale, but looks considerably better.

The suggestion worked as Naruto long since stopped shivering. Unnoticed by her teammates, she's awake and struggling to open her eyes. Not one to give up easily, it takes several exhausting attempts until she finally opens them. Blue eyes search the darkened chamber. Her vision is significantly clouded and unfocused, disorienting her further. Blinking her eyes fail to clear them.

Naruto's muddled senses recognize she's cocooned between two soft, lumpy objects. What they are, she has no clue. Her brain refuses to function enough to identify them. All she knows is she is somewhere safe, but the urgent need to hide further claims priority of her thoughts.

* * *

Feeling Naruto squirming against his back, Kakashi stirs awake. He becomes fully alert when he feels a sharp bump against his ass. He certainly doesn't miss Sasuke's grunt of pain and strained muttering, "What the hell?"

Before even turning around, Kakashi feels Naruto burrow deep under the blankets to curl up by their feet. Sasuke reaches over to raise the light level. Kakashi shuffles around onto his other side and lifts the edge of the covers.

Peering into the darkness, he asks the shadows, "What are you doing, Naruto?"

Slim fingers snatch the edge of the blankets from his grasp to yank the opening closed. Her voice slurs out, "Hiding."

Arching a brow, Kakashi lifts the blankets again. "Why are you hiding and from whom?"

"From the bad guys who want to snatch me away again," she slurs from the shadows.

Kakashi throws a quick glance at Sasuke. The irritable, younger man mirrors his confused expression. Before either of them can ask her to explain, her voice drifts out again.

"_Don't_ tell them where I am."

Kakashi frowns at the fearful tone in her voice. He decides on a different tactic. "Naruto, why are you hiding? We can help you stay hidden if we knew who is looking for you and why."

The silence stretches out. Becoming frustrated, Sasuke snaps, "Quit being a dobe and get your ass out of there."

That seemed to do the trick.

"Fuck off teme! Just 'cause you're a stuck up prick who thinks he's better than everyone doesn't mean you can boss me around! I'm not the teacher's pet like you and no one gives a shit if I disappear again." Naruto pauses before quietly adding, "'Cept for Iruka-sensei. So just shut up!"

Sasuke and Kakashi blink at each other in shock. Silently they ask each other why is talking about the academy. Kakashi already notices she's calling Iruka 'sensei' again. She hasn't called him that in years.

"Favorite or not," Kakashi tries again, "if someone is threatening you, I need to know more to keep you safe."

Again the silence stretches out. Finally she asks, "Who are you?"

The two men stare at each other in alarm. Taking a deep breath Sasuke scolds, "You know Kakashi, Naruto."

"No I don't, teme," is her immediate reply. "Is he a new sensei? 'Cause I know all the academy sensei. I don't recognize him."

Sasuke's black eyes flick up to Kakashi's face. Seeing realization dawning on the older man's face, Sasuke asks in a hushed tone, "Why is she talking about the academy?"

"Hypothermia victims sometimes hallucinate. Naruto is relieving her time at the academy," he quietly explains. Turning his attention back to Naruto, Kakashi raises his voice, stating, "I'm a sensei, Naruto. I need to know why you feel threatened."

"A couple months ago a couple of ANBU stopped by my place, saying they had a summons," her muffled voice floats out reluctantly. "I thought it was 'cause I locked Suzume-sensei and Mizuki-sensei in a maintenance closet and wrote on the door 'make out paradise,' 'do not disturb,' 'porno palace,' and 'love closet.'"

Kakashi can't resist chuckling at the image, which causes the hesitation to leave her voice when she continues. "It was late when the ANBU showed up, but that's nothing new. The Old Man doesn't always call me in right away. I knew something was up 'cause we weren't heading to the Tower. I asked where we were going, but they didn't answer. Something was definitely up. So I ran for it. The last thing I remembered was getting yanked back by my hair."

Kakashi glances over at Sasuke in time to see the realization in his eyes. Noticing Kakashi, Sasuke whispers out an explanation. "During my first year at the academy I remember everyone discussing Naruto's disappearance. She usually only ditched for a day or two, but she was missing for a month. We all knew about it because we were asked when we last saw her. I never knew what happened, but remember Iruka was worried out of his mind."

Kakashi nods as Naruto speaks again. "I woke up in a big, concrete room. There was a metal table and chair with a light bulb over it. It was really dark and shadowy. I got up and tried finding the door when someone told me to sit in the chair. I told him to stick it in his ear 'cause I wasn't doing anything until I knew what the hell was going on. He said sit down. When I flipped him the bird where I thought he was, something hit me hard in the face and I was on the floor. I looked up at one of the fake ANBU standing over me."

"Why do you call him 'fake?'" Sasuke asks, unable to resist interrupting her.

"'Cause he wasn't wearing the usual animal mask all ANBU wear," Naruto snaps derisively, as if it should've been obvious to Sasuke. "It was different. I was stupid for not noticing it when they showed up. Been around them enough to know. Anyways, the fake ANBU warned me to follow instructions. I kept my ass on the floor and turned my back to him. Next thing I knew he yanked me up by my hair and shoved into the chair. The fake bastard held me in place by the shoulders," she spat out sullenly before continuing. "That's when I saw another man come close to the light. I couldn't see his face, though. He said things would go easier if I follow directions. They didn't want to hurt me because I'm too important for the protection of Konoha."

"I'm like, yeah, whatever," Naruto scoffs. "I'm nothing, everyone says so. He said it wasn't true 'cause I held something very special and that if it got out it would hurt a lot of people. I don't know what the fuck he was talking about. I just knew I'd been captured by some nut who escaped the looney bin."

Sasuke couldn't help snorting until he noticed Kakashi's grim expression. Before he could ask what's wrong Naruto continues her story.

"The shadow man then told me all about what I am and why I didn't know about it before," she adds quietly.

Without thinking Sasuke asks, "Was he talking about the Kyuubi?"

Naruto finally pokes her head out of the blankets to gape at him in shocked horror. "How the hell do you know? No one's supposed to know or say anything about it!"

Kakashi notices a glazed quality to her eyes and that they are still dilated. He mentally reasons she must be having trouble seeing them clearly.

"Sasuke just found out to help protect you, Naruto," he reasons. "He's sworn an oath not to say anything."

Blue eyes narrow suspiciously at Sasuke. Without averting her eyes, she asks Kakashi, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Naruto, I am. Please continue," he urges.

Relaxing a little with a dramatic sigh, Naruto props the side of her head against her fist instead of burrowing back under the covers.

"The Shadow man told me all about the Kyuubi, which is a really horrible way to learn why everyone hated me for so long. But, I'm kinda glad he did. I wondered about it since forever. Anyways, he said the best way to stop the hatred is to become a useful asset to the village. That I have a lot of potential and could become the most powerful shinobi this village has ever seen. I had no clue what he meant 'cause I'm already becoming the greatest shinobi ever. When I become Hokage, no one will hate me anymore, they'll have to respect me. Or I'll turn them over to Ibiki-san," Naruto declares blithely.

She pointedly ignores Sasuke's eye roll and continues. "Shadow man said it won't be enough and I won't be strong enough to continue containing the demon. He said some crap about me putting everyone in danger by fooling around. Even if the demon doesn't break loose, I won't become strong enough to defend the village. He said wars can break out at any time and do I want to responsible for all the innocent people dying at the hands of our enemies 'cause I couldn't defend them? He said I don't have to become Hokage to stop the hatred 'cause I'd become so strong no one would dare stand against me out of fear. He bragged about training me and that I'd be greater than any Hokage that came before."

"I won't lie, I thought about Shadow man's offer. I asked if he trained the guys who kidnapped me. He said yeah. I glanced up at the guy who holding me down then looked back at Shadow man and said fuck off. I don't want to become some stupid thug bully like the losers who kidnapped me. And how stupid is he? People already fear me, so I know it doesn't stop the hatred. I want their respect as their defender by becoming Hokage. Thought I did good shutting Shadow man up because he didn't say anything until he started chuckling. It was really creepy," Naruto whispered with a shudder. "Then he said he didn't ask if I wanted to train under him. Sarutobi has been far too lenient, whatever that means. Shadow man then said the Old Man allowed me to pretend to be human when I'm nothing more than a beast. Beasts have to be tamed and trained."

"That's when things got worse," Naruto added quietly, her gaze lowering. "The fake ANBU lifted me up by the hair and called for the dog crate. Two more fakes came out of the shadows carrying a wooden cage and set it down. One opened the door as the moron holding me by the hair carried me over. I yelled and screamed as loud as I could for help and kicked and hit them. Didn't matter 'cause it didn't take long to dump me inside, slamming the cage door shut before picking it up onto the table. I couldn't even sit up or lay down. It was really small. The Shadow man said until I behave and listen to him I'll stay in that cage until I die. Then he and the fakes left me alone."

With a distant look in her eyes, Naruto falls silent for a moment as Kakashi and Sasuke absorb her story. Kakashi's face is inscrutable as usual, but Sasuke is appalled. Scrutinizing the redhead, he wonders how in the hell she stayed so happily goofy after that. He remembers when she finally returned to school after her disappearance. She blew it off as an extended illness from eating some bad ramen. However, even he noticed she seemed more subdued.

"That's why I'm hiding from the bad guys," Naruto finishes, breaking into their thoughts.

"Aren't you going to finish your story, Naruto?" Kakashi asks.

Naruto glances at him with an unfathomable look in her eye, but suddenly wary. "There's not much else."

"Obviously there's more to it than that. If you're going to tell a story, you should tell all of it," he reasons.

"You're just as bad as Iruka-sensei," she complains with a put upon sigh and a dramatic roll of the eyes. "They kept me in the cage all the time. They fed me and let me out to go to the bathroom. I did try escaping, but couldn't. 'Sides, they'd hit hard when I tried. I don't know how long I'd been there, but the Shadow man finally came back, asking if I was going to behave. Uh-huh, sure. Like that was happening. I flipped him the bird again. That got me another punch in the face and a trip straight back to the cage."

"Things got even worse after that," Naruto adds solemnly. "Sometimes they'd let me out to go to the bathroom, but now they wouldn't even let me leave the room for it. I had to go in a bucket in front of one of the fake ANBU. Damn pervert," she spits before continuing. "It got really hard to hold it 'cause they'd take their sweet-ass time coming to let me out. They also gave me less food and water. Shadow man showed up again, asking if I was going to behave. I mooned him before getting beaten up by one of the fakes."

"They ignored when I yelled I had to go to the bathroom and ended up making a mess in my pants. I was still wearing the same clothes they brought me in, so they were really dirty. I got a bad rash and had to take off my clothes. Didn't help the room was cold. They also started skipping meals and giving me spoiled food. They barely gave me enough water to drink, so I couldn't even clean myself. I really was starting to feel like crap. I wanted to throw up all the time and always had a headache."

Naruto pauses to take a deep, shuddering breath. "Shadow man came back. He didn't say nothing for the longest time. He just stood in the shadows and I could feel him staring at." She couldn't help pausing to shiver at the memory. "I was scared. Finally he said I was looking like the animal I am. Then he asked if I was going to comply. I got pissed and flipped him off with both hands. One of the fakes broke my fingers before beating me."

Naruto pauses again. She closes her eyes briefly and sighs deeply. Like a stone carving, Kakashi is completely still and unreadable. Sasuke is all ready working out a plan to hunt down these mother fuckers and kill them very slowly. He felt these guys are on par with Orochimaru in regards to their evilness.

"I had to get out of there," she states quietly. "I'd be damned if they got what they wanted, but I wasn't stupid. If they didn't get what they wanted they'd kill me. I knew I was running out of time. I feeling shittier every day and they were probably going to stop feeding me and giving me water."

"They left me alone most of the time. I had no idea where I was or how long I'd been there. I couldn't hear any noises outside and the room was always dark except for the light bulb they kept on all the time. They took away my dirty clothes, but even if they hadn't I still didn't have anything to pick the lock on the cage. After Shadow man's last visit, I was staring at the bars and noticed a couple looked kinda dry and cracked. I figured if I could crash myself to the floor I can get out. I rocked the cage, bouncing around to get it sliding. It took forever, but I finally ended up on the floor. It didn't completely break apart like I hoped, but there was enough for me to kick out a couple of the bars and slip out. I got scraped and bruised pretty bad, but I was out of the damn cage."

"I must've been in the cage for a long time because I had a hard time standing and walking. Didn't help I felt like puking and was dizzy. No one came in 'cause of the noise, so I looked around for anything she could use as a weapon or to wear. There was nothing, but I had to get out of there. They must've figured no one would find me because the door was unlocked. It was really hard to see 'cause the lights were so bright. Had to squint and felt my way around the walls. I kept listening for anyone coming, but the entire place seemed empty."

"Somehow I got outside. Sounds crazy, but it was like something was telling me which way to go, which hallway to turn down. I dunno," Naruto muses, shaking her head in confusion. "It wasn't really a voice, but I know it wasn't a lucky guess either. Anyways, wherever that place was, it was in the middle of the forest. It night, but didn't take long to figure out which way was the village. I ran as fast as I could. I hid whenever I heard a noise in case it was one of the fakes. I kept hiding when I got back into town, but it was getting harder to keep moving. I was really feeling dizzy and sick."

"I don't even remember how I got there, but I found Iruka-sensei's house. Weird thing was I didn't know where he lived. It's weirder to show up on your sensei's doorstep naked, but I needed help. Thought he was going to drop from a heart attack 'cause he looked so pale when he saw me. Was sure he'd yell at me for not having any clothes on, but he hugged me and dragged me inside. Until I saw Iruka-sensei, I was mostly pissed and annoyed at being kidnapped. It wasn't until Iruka-sensei hugged me that I started crying like a baby and couldn't stop."

"I got stuck in the damn hospital for a week," Naruto pouts sullenly, causing both men to smirk. Even back then she hated the hospital with a passion. "This time I was guarded by real ANBU until I felt better. The Old Man made me tell him everything. I really couldn't remember a lot, so one of the ANBU did something called a Time Reversal jutsu. The only thing I couldn't tell him was what the Shadow man looked like. Afterwards I went back to the Academy and told everyone I just got really sick. It wasn't really a lie, but the Jiijii ordered me not to say anything."

When Naruto finished the distant roar and their own breathing filled the silence. All three became lost in their own thoughts.

Kakashi spoke first. "No one will hurt you or kidnap you while we're around, Naruto."

Looking scornfully at Sasuke, she sneers, "He's a teme that only cares about his own ass. It's beneath him to do anything for me."

Sasuke narrows his eyes at her angrily. Then he remembers that she thinks they're back at the academy. Taking a deep breath, he grits out, "What that's supposed to mean? I'm not a coward who'd let a fellow classmate be taken if I'm around to stop it."

"As if," Naruto snorts. "You said I should go back to whatever hole I crawled out of because no one missed me and it was much quieter without me."

Sasuke was about to argue when he remembered he did say that. Feeling abashed, he clears his throat. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk, especially now that I know what really happened."

Naruto's shocked before narrowing her eyes and hissing, "Liar."

Bristling Sasuke snaps, "I never say anything unless I mean it and you know it, baka."

Cocking her head slightly, Naruto considers it before a gloating smile spreads on her face. "I got the teme to apologize!" she proclaims gleefully.

"I'm going to knock you out if you don't shut up and go back to sleep," Sasuke growls irritably.

"Sakura won't be very happy with you if you hit Naruto, Sasuke," Kakashi advises, amusement coloring his voice.

"That's a laugh," Naruto declares with a snort. "Sakura would be up first with her fist cocked. She's an angry, manipulative bitch who doesn't give a shit about anyone but herself."

Sasuke and Kakashi gape at Naruto in shock. Judging by the look on her face, she was dead serious. She believed Sakura to be that cold.

"I thought you two are friends?" Sasuke asks.

"Sakura is no one's friend," Naruto sneers. "She's really good at pretending. She runs around whining that she's being made fun of 'cause her forehead. Funny, I've never heard anyone make fun of her forehead, have you, teme?"

Sasuke opens his mouth to reply, but promptly shuts it. He can't think of one time he's ever heard anyone tease Sakura. He can remember her crying about it, but he should remember one time at least.

Naruto nods at his expression. "Exactly. I tried being her friend, but Sakura just hit me and shouted go away 'cause I was useless. I kept watching her and saw that she only stayed friends with kids for as long as they were useful. I felt really bad for Ino. The only reason Sakura became friends with her was to try to get closer to you, teme. When Ino became competition, Sakura dumped her ass in a quick second. It was so obvious a blind man could see it. But no one really wanted to believe it 'cause Sakura is all sweet and innocent. Bullshit," Naruto spat. "If anyone bothered watching her long enough they'd see it. Hell, Sakura pulled that shit on Hinata. Hinata taught her the finer points of how to behave in high society, but once Sakura was done, she just stopped talking to her. No explanation. Poor Hinata was devastated."

Both men are stunned by Naruto's words as neither has ever heard her talk about anyone like this. However, since it was late and she needed her rest Kakashi decided to ask more about it later.

"It's late and we should all go back to sleep," Kakashi suggests.

Naruto eyes him suspiciously. "I still don't know you. And I don't trust Sasuke. So why should I trust you?"

Kakashi thinks about it for a moment before saying, "Crimson sky."

Nartuo's eyes widen in surprise and a relieved smile spreads on her face. Before anyone can react, she lunges forward, engulfing Kakashi in a hug.

"Why didn't you say the safe code before, sensei?" she asks, her voice muffled against his chest.

Still caught in the hug, Kakashi shrugs. "Because I'm not in my ANBU uniform."

"I'm sorry I made you reveal yourself," Naruto blushes in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto," Kakashi smiles down at her. "Just go back to sleep.

Refusing to relinquish her hold on him, Naruto settles down as he tucks the blankets around her. She promptly falls into an exhausted sleep.

Baffled by the entire display, Sasuke arches an eyebrow at Kakashi.

Kakashi shrugs again. "After they found Naruto and she told the Third what happened, he created a safe code so she'd know she was with a genuine, trustworthy ANBU," he explains in a hushed voice. "Very few knew it because after her kidnapping the Third couldn't verify the trustworthiness of every ANBU. We never did find out who had taken her."

With a nod Sasuke twists around and reaches out to dim the lamp again. Settling onto his side facing away from the duo, he wonders aloud, "Why did she hallucinate about that of all things?"

"I don't know," Kakashi mutters as he strokes her hair. Inwardly he has a pretty good idea, but needs to discuss it with the Hokage first.

It takes some time before Sasuke can fall back to sleep again. It was hard not to show it, but it bothered the hell out of him to see Naruto hugging Kakashi. He had to keep reminding himself that she thinks they're back at the academy, so there'd be no way in hell she'd turn to him for any comfort. It also bugged him that it'd bother him more to see her clinging to Kakashi like a baby koala than hearing her story. Although, the reason for that is probably because there's nothing he can do to change the past for her. These thoughts swirled in his head until they lulled him back to sleep.

* * *

A couple of hours later Sakura crawled into the chamber and woke Sasuke up for his shift. As she started to climb into the warm spot next to Naruto she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the scene before her. The redhead is practically glued to Kakashi. In the dim light she could tell the Sharingan user is awake. She's sure he woke up the moment she entered the chamber to relieve Sasuke.

He notices her pause and smiles. "Naruto woke up hallucinating and this seemed to calm her," he whispers.

Switching to concerned medic mode instantly, Sakura asks, "Was it bad enough to cause her to injure herself?"

"No."

Sakura pauses to think about it. "It might be a good idea if I check on her progress now."

Inwardly, Sakura thought it might be possible to trigger a fatal heart attack that could kill Naruto before she has a chance to 'save' her. She tries to gently encourage the redhead to lie on her back, but Naruto tightens her hold on Kakashi, causing him to grunt in pain.

"Doesn't look like she's going to be a cooperative patient, Sakura," he manages in a strangled voice.

Sighing in frustration, Sakura abandons the attempt. "How are your hands and arms are doing, taichou?" she asks, keeping up appearances.

Before answering, Kakashi continues stroking Naruto's hair and whispers something in her ear. Sakura couldn't hear what he said, but notices that causes Naruto to relax her hold.

Kakashi breathes in deeply in relief before answering. "The aching and burning has gotten worse, but it's nothing I can't handle," he whispers.

Sakura nods before settling in beside Naruto, silently cursing the pesky bitch.

Tightening his hold on Naruto, Kakashi closes his eyes and goes back to sleep.

* * *

By first light, the fierce storm left enough snow to block the entrance of the cave. Kakashi decides to wait on doing anything about it until after breakfast.

Sakura immediately ambushes Naruto and examines her. The good news is her core body temperature has almost returned to normal levels. However, she is experiencing some difficulty seeing and is still very tired. Naruto also isn't interested in eating and feels nauseous. Sakura fixes a heavily sweetened tea and forces Naruto to drink it under the threat of violence.

As Naruto sulkily complies, Sakura corners Kakashi. Although, his skin is still red and slightly swollen, his frostbite looks considerably better. He still has an aching pain, but it's not as bad as it was before. Sakura insists on redressing his hands and arms in fresh bandages. As she helps him carefully pull his gloves over the bandages, she explains he's at great risk of worsening the frostbite if they don't cover the injured areas because he's not fully healed yet. Since the skin around his eye had completely warmed up, Sakura does heal it since there's no way they can cover it.

Once both patients have been treated, they break camp quickly and get moving as far away as possible.

It isn't difficult to dig their way out of the cave. Sasuke simply melts it with a fireball, revealing a world of blinding white. The storm covered everything in a thick blanket of snow. There is also a haze hanging in the frosty air, which provides them with good coverage as they leave the area.

Sasuke and Kakashi alternate carrying Naruto. When they left the cave, the redhead insists she can manage. A couple of missteps and near falls soon had Sasuke and Kakashi threatening to hog tie her if she didn't let them carry her. Not feeling in a mood for a spar, Naruto grudgingly complies.

However, she took great delight in trying to break their concentration by saying shocking things. It didn't work on Kakashi, but she figured it wouldn't. He does avidly read Ero-sennin's books. However, it's amusing to see Sasuke's ears turn red when she described catching Kotetsu and Izumo in a very compromising position. She deliberately made it sound more lurid than it really was. She gives Sasuke a lot of credit for not losing his pace, though.

The weather remains clear and they make good time traveling. Not as good as when they started the mission, though.

Before nightfall they arrive at a small village. There is at least one small inn and they manage to secure lodgings for the night. Kakashi would've preferred if they all stayed in one room, but the only room large enough is already booked. They end up splitting into two separate rooms at different ends of the hallway. In light of everything that has happened, Kakashi insists on bunking with Naruto. Privately, he has his suspicions about how she ended up in the pond and doesn't want to take any chances.

When Kakashi states his intention, Sakura protests immediately. "As the team medic it's better for me to stay close to Naruto, taichou."

"That's okay, Sakura," Kakashi smiles. "You already assured me that Naruto is mostly recovered. Besides, I have some medical training in case something happens. If not, you're just down the hallway."

Unable to come up with a good counter without raising suspicion, Sakura agrees. She insists on examining both of them one more time.

When Sakura finally leaves to go settle into the room she's sharing with Sasuke, Naruto couldn't resist teasing Kakashi.

"You just want to go over the mission details without Sakura and Sasuke around, Kakashi."

"Not at all. We aren't discussing anything until we get back home," he states, shocking Naruto. When she continues looking at him with a confused expression, he adds, "I have my reasons, Naruto."

Deciding to leave it at that, Naruto shrugs it off and finishes preparing for bed. Soon they both settle in for the night.

* * *

The weather is clear for the remainder of the trip back to Konoha and Team Kakashi returns within three days. They immediately head for the Tower once they enter the gates. They didn't even have to wait to see Tsunade.

Kakashi has Sasuke give his report first, detailing how they stole the scroll.

Once finished, Sasuke steps forward and hands Tsunade the receipt. "I found that in the safe with the scroll," he explains. "It doesn't reveal much, but may help you figure out if Ayashida was working alone or had help stealing the list."

Tsunade is intrigued by the receipt, but says nothing.

"I didn't know you grabbed a document other than the list from the safe," Sakura comments as he steps back in line next to her.

Sasuke merely shrugs. "I forgot."

Then Sakura takes her turn to give a medical report on the injuries incurred by the team.

Tsunade nods her approval at Sasuke and Sakura once the medic finished her report. "Congratulates you two. Job well done. Go home and get some rest. Dismissed."

Sakura and Sasuke bow to her before leaving Kakashi and Naruto to give their report.

Kakashi delivers the report while Naruto quietly stands next to him. He explains their suspicions that Ayashida might have set a protective seal on the windows of Sakurogi's master bedroom. It's why he directed Sasuke and Sakura to make entry on the far side of the mansion, but leave through the master bedroom windows. It nearly guaranteed a safe way to draw Ayashida out into the open. Naruto then used her henged shadow clones to maneuver Ayashida towards the pond so they could fight in an open area without interference. It also provided Naruto with an unfrozen source of water from the pond.

Although Ayashida proved to be very predictable, she was still a tough kill. Kakashi stops his narrative to have Naruto pick up the report and explain what happened when she was knocked onto the ice.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto explains that she recovered quickly and raced back to the battle in case Ayashida somehow managed to escape Kakashi's lightning clone. She easily dodged Ayashida's fireball, but heard something broke through the ice behind her. She didn't even have time to glance over her shoulder when something grabbed her ankle and dragged her into the water.

Tsunade straightens up in her seat. "Are you sure you were dragged? You could've broken through the ice."

Naruto shakes her head. "I didn't feel my feet give. I heard the ice beak behind me. And there's no mistaking the feeling of something wrapped tight around my ankle, Baa-chan. Whatever it was yanked hard enough to lay me flat on my face as it dragged me through the hole. When I was up to my waist in the water I remembered gasping because it was so fucking cold before being dragged completely under." Naruto unconsciously shivers at the memory, not realizing Kakashi and Tsunade noticed the action as she continues. "I tried getting my bearings to find the hole, but whatever grabbed me dragged me further away from the hole. It was hard, but I pulled out a kunai and slashed at whatever had my ankle. Everything hurt like hell, but suddenly it was gone. I was free, but couldn't find the break in the ice and don't when I finally blacked out."

Now knowing how Naruto ended up under the ice, Kakashi picks up the story again. Explaining how he found her, he steps forward to hand the storage scroll containing Ayashida's corpse to Tsunade.

When Kakashi finishes, Tsunade lets the silence stretch out as she plays with the scroll in her hands. Finally, she looks up to glare at Kakashi.

"You're an idiot for traveling in the storm and getting frostbite." She pauses, letting her expression soften. "It was a good call. According to Sakura's description, Naruto's condition was like a Metabolic Icebox. She was so frozen she was technically dead."

Kakashi nods in understanding then proceeds to describe Naruto's hallucination.

Not remembering any of it, Naruto stares at him in shock before finding her voice. "I've got a big mouth when I'm sick," she grumbles irritably, crossing her arms in a huff.

"You didn't reveal any 'S' class secrets when you had a fever," Kakashi points out helpfully. "But in this case, I think your subconscious was trying to tell us something."

Ignoring Naruto's baffled expression, Tsunade leans forward to rest her chin on her hand, asking, "What do you mean, Kakashi?"

"At the time Naruto disappeared we had no idea what happened to her," Kakashi states. "The Third kept the jounin and ANBU discreetly searching for her the entire time. If she'd been killed the perpetrator wouldn't have bothered hiding the body. However, we couldn't think of anyone in the village who would've wanted to kidnap her. Orochimaru was long gone. When Iruka found her and brought her into the hospital Naruto, told the Third what happened. When she described the ANBU wearing different masks, the Third immediately suspected Danzo and his Root organization."

Naruto gapes at Kakashi in shock. "I never realized that was my first encounter with Root," she finally manages.

"You probably coped with the incident how you usually do, pushing it aside and not thinking on it further," Kakashi suggests.

"I do not!" Naruto begins to protest.

Tsunade cuts her off, musing, "That would be something that old bastard Danzo would pull. The Third left numerous written accounts of him suggesting sensei was being too gentle with Naruto."

Kakashi nods his head in agreement. "That's why he suspected Danzo. Unfortunately, we didn't have any proof. Naruto never saw his face and Danzo covered his tracks well." Kakashi sighs heavily. "Danzo is patient and has a long memory. I'm not certain if our investigation of the Uchiha massacre is tied to him in anyway, but he may be behind all these recent attempts on Naruto's life. We know all the attempts were made by a highly trained Konoha shinobi."

"It sounds like old mummy man has it out for me," Naruto agrees, "but how the hell would any of his cronies know they'd be out there this time? It was an 'S' rank mission."

"Danzo has his filthy little fingers everywhere and a knack for knowing things he shouldn't," Tsunade interjects before musing, "I wonder if Ayashida was a Root member?"

"Why would a Root member do that, Baa-chan? They're a bunch of mindless drones. What Ayashida did requires too much individuality. A huge no-no in Root."

"Unless Ayashida was under orders," Kakashi mutters, causing both women to stare at him in disbelief. "Our investigation into the Uchiha massacre has hit nothing but dead ends. The only time we made any progress is when Naruto discovered the accounting errors. As far as we could tell, someone has been using the names of dead Uchiha to siphon money and redirect it somewhere else. What if this money laundering is another means of making a profit? Danzo has access to all council related accounts."

Nodding in understanding, Tsunade picks up his line of thought, adding, "Danzo has always been clear in his intent of controlling Konoha. Sensei beat him out of becoming Hokage and he wasn't even considered for it when Minato was picked over Orochimaru. Plus, money laundering and selling Konoha secrets would be a quick easy way to make a lot of money quietly. Running Root secretly wouldn't be cheap. It'd certainly undermine my authority, possibly giving Danzo the opportunity to usurp control once the theft was revealed. He counted on you two to follow procedure and kill Ayashida as a missing nin, destroying any connection he had to the theft."

The trio falls silent as they process this new information. After a few minutes, Naruto finally breaks it. "It looks like Danzo may be behind all this, but it doesn't really explain why he'd want to kill me. Why now after leaving me alone all this time?"

"Danzo may not like the fact Tsunade-sama has named you as her successor and is training you," Kakashi points out. "He also may resent the lost opportunity to make you a part of Root. Then you discovered the embezzling. He might be afraid of what else you might notice. If those aren't enough reasons, you're a threat simply because he knows you'd kill to defend Tsunade-sama."

"Danzo might think he's killing two birds with one stone," Tsunade adds, drawing Naruto's attention back to her. "By killing you, he takes care of a potential obstacle to finally becoming Hokage. Plus, it stalls any further progress into learning the truth about the Uchiha massacre because you're the driving force behind the investigation."

"It sounds like you think Danzo is definitely tied to the Uchiha massacre, Kakashi comments, shrewdly eyeing Tsunade.

"Yes," the older blonde nods. "The more we learn, the more I'm certain of it. It's not a stretch to think Danzo may have attempted to recruit the Uchihas into mounting a coup. If they refused to join him, he could've used the massacre to send a subtle message to all the clans warning them about opposing him. Or he may have wanted to use the massacre as a means of embarrassing the Third and seizing control from him."

Tsunade pauses to lean back in her chair. "All of those scenarios fit in with Danzo's twisted way of thinking. I wouldn't put it past him to sacrifice an entire clan to further his goals. However, without proof, he gets away with genocide. The bastard even has the balls to repeatedly approach Sasuke recently, offering his assistance and guidance. Not surprising since Sasuke still holds the village responsible for the massacre to a certain degree. He certainly was more than willing to destroy it before he came back. The fact Sasuke is a powerful Sharingan user probably has Danzo pissing his pants in anticipation of manipulating him into doing the dirty work for him."

"That's not gonna happen since Sasuke keeps brushing him off," Naruto states, shaking her head. "It's no secret that he doesn't trust anyone on the council."

"True," Tsunade agrees. "As a precaution we shouldn't say anything to Sasuke yet. This is all speculation right now and we don't need him declaring a one-man war against Root."

Kakashi nods. "Now that we have a prime suspect, we may turn up some real leads."

"Telling Sasuke about Danzo may not be such a bad idea," Naruto muses, causing the other two to stare at her in shock. She grins at them, saying, "Danzo must be confident we won't uncover the truth since he keeps approaching Sasuke. He could easily convince Danzo he believes there's a huge cover-up and he's frustrated with our lack of progress in the investigation. If Sasuke can get close, Danzo might tip his hand and show his cards."

Tsunade mulls it over. "It sounds too risky. Danzo is very good at covering his tracks and is quite adept at manipulating others. He may convince Sasuke to turn on the village again."

Naruto shakes her head. "He won't do that, Baa-chan. The desire for the truth is driving him to change. If nothing else, the investigation proves things are far more complicated than he originally thought."

"That may not be the case if we can't prove to Sasuke that the village isn't responsible," Kakashi points out reasonably. "If there is any doubt, Danzo will use it to his advantage."

"Nuh-uh," Naruto adamantly protests. "By now he's proved his trustworthiness. Yeah, he became obsessed with power and vengeance, but he's too strong-willed to be easily manipulated by Danzo. If he weren't such a stubborn teme, he would've become Orochimaru's new body instead of killing the creep when he tried taking over. Sasuke would be willing to get closer to Danzo if it means the chance of learning the truth. Danzo probably won't reveal much, but maybe enough to give us that one clue to crack this thing wide open."

Mulling over the redhead's words, Tsunade looks over to Kakashi.

Kakashi shrugs at the silent question. "Naruto makes a very strong argument. Sasuke's attitude is changing or he would've already accepted Danzo's offer. Under the guise of reforming, and with Danzo's help, he could've destroyed the village. Instead, he stuck with the investigation and complied with his punishment. Plus, we can't ignore the fact nothing else has worked so far to catch Danzo in the act. We've always known what he was responsible for, but could never prove it. He's even kept Root fully operational even when it was officially disbanded." He pauses to sigh heavily. "It's too risky to wait when the attempts on Naruto's life keep coming closer to succeeding. Sending Sasuke undercover may be the best way to go on the offensive for a change. It's a risky gamble, but it could pay off big. Besides, Naruto has been right about Sasuke so far for us to question it."

"Agreed," Tsunade sighs. "Sasuke has a shrewd, sharp mind and if anyone can outmaneuver Danzo it'd be him. Besides, the risk to him is far greater than the risk to the village. However," she pauses to lean forward, placing both elbows on her desk and lacing her fingers together. "I don't like placing him in such a dangerous position regardless of his trustworthiness or that he's the last Uchiha. This may be our only shot, assuming he's willing to do it."

"He will," Naruto declares confidently.

"Don't say anything to Sasuke about this," Tsunade orders. "I'll have Shizune discreetly compile all available information about Danzo and Root for him to review. The dossier will be ready the day after tomorrow when you turn in their written reports."

Leaning back in her chair again, Tsunade scrutinizes Naruto in silence for a moment. "It might not be a bad idea for you to go into protective custody for the time being."

Naruto glares hard at the older blonde before gritting out, "You've been drinking some bad sake, Baa-chan, 'cause you're starting to sound like the old buzzards on the council."

Slamming her fist on the desk as she jumps to her feet, Tsunade yells, "Your attackers have been getting closer to succeeding in killing you! Two of the attempts occurring when you're supposed to be safe inside the village!"

Kakashi quickly cuts off Naruto as she opens her mouth to reply. "Protective custody may not be enough and may make Naruto a sitting target for Danzo. Now that we know of the threat, we'll be more careful and it may help to draw Danzo out in the open."

At Naruto's determined glare, Tsunade closes her eyes and sighs in frustration. "Fine. Stay alert and don't go anywhere alone. Do either of you have anything else to report before you go?"

Kakashi stuns Naruto by stating, "There is."

He repeats Naruto's comments about Sakura during her hallucination. When finished, he turns to Naruto. "Why did you think that about Sakura?"

Naruto couldn't help blushing in embarrassment for saying those things about Sakura. "That's what I used to think of Sakura when they were in the academy," she admits reluctantly. "My opinion changed when we became teammates. I figured I misjudged Sakura unfairly. What seemed like a phony façade hiding a manipulative, bitchy nature was just her way of protecting herself from all the teasing. She probably just didn't realize how she was hurting other people."

Arching a brow, Kakashi reminds Naruto about the doubts she expressed about Sakura when she brought back Sasuke.

As Naruto falls silent in thought, Tsunade asks, "Why this is important, Kakashi?"

"Since Sakura was first placed on my team I always had doubts about her sincerity," Kakashi begins. "It's not that she didn't work well with the team, but there was always this feeling she hid some ulterior motive."

Naruto's gaze snaps onto him in shock, but he ignores her and continues speaking. "It never affected our missions, so I never addressed it. Although, sometimes I'd catch a sinister glint in Sakura's eyes. It was always too brief for me to properly interpret it, but it'd surface every once in awhile. Naruto reminded me of it when I asked about her hesitation towards Sakura after Sasuke's return."

"Yamato-taichou has similar misgivings," Naruto interrupts to add. "He said he never could put his finger on what it was about Sakura that bothered him, but he warned me to be careful of her." She pauses to shift uncomfortably under Kakashi and Tsunade's intense gazes before continuing. "When the original lineup of Team 7 was together everything was okay. That's why I thought I misjudged Sakura in the academy. But once Sasuke left, Sakura changed. It was like she no longer had to keep up the pretense anymore. I also caught something sinister in Sakura's eyes, but thought it had to do with Sasuke's defection. It wasn't just that, though. Sakura would lie about stupid things and fly off the handle if she thought you were blaming her for anything. Sakura distanced herself so much that whenever I'd see her and say 'hi' she ignored me. I thought I was reading too much into it, but I can't help holding back when it comes to Sakura."

Kakashi nods his head in agreement. "It's not that I suspect Sakura of anything, but in light of recent events we don't need the added uncertainty. I thought it best to address it now in case anyone else had any misgivings about Sakura or had anything to share. I can't deny this sense of unease I have towards her, that we shouldn't turn their backs to her. I think Sasuke has his doubts about her too."

Naruto scoffs. "That's a result of the trauma of being monomaniacally stalked by fan girls, namely Sakura, for years."

"Normally I'd think that too," Kakashi drolly replies, "But, now that Sakura is dating Ritsu, how come Sasuke still keeps her at arms length? He also didn't tell her about the receipt he found in Sakurogi's safe. He claimed he forgot, but when have you ever known Sasuke to 'just forget?'"

Naruto opens her mouth to answer but promptly closes it when she can't think of a response. Damn if he wasn't right.

Tsunade silently contemplates their exchange for a moment. "Shizune and I have had our doubts about Sakura too."

Naruto and Kakashi both stare at Tsunade in utter shock. Sighing heavily, she continues. "One of the things we've noticed recently is how easily Sakura becomes defensive. That wouldn't normally capture our attention, but it's over very minor things. For example, Shizune recently called her in to question her regarding a recently deceased patient she had contact with. The cause of death was difficult to determine, but there was nothing suspicious about it. When a situation like that occurs, it's normal procedure to conduct a thorough investigation, including interviewing all the staff who had contact with the patient. This is to make certain the death wasn't caused by human error. We always knew Sakura was temperamental, but her reaction shocked Shizune. She became irrational, yelling that she believed we were holding her responsible for the death. It was several minutes before she calmed down and apologized. Still, her reaction was wholly unwarranted."

"When Shizune told me about it, I thought Sakura's reaction might be from stress. There's a lot of pressure in being a medic, especially when you start specializing. However, the more I thought about it, I recalled other unusual behaviors. Whenever there was an instance of something having gone wrong, Sakura is always quick to deflect blame by pointing out how all her actions were correct and according to procedure. Whenever she had to work with others, there would inevitably be a complaint or two about her manipulating them into doing her share of the work. When approached about the complaints, she'd become defensive. She was never reprimanded since there wasn't any proof."

"I dismissed it as jealously by the other medics since Sakura is certainly one of the best and my apprentice," Tsunade continues explaining with a sigh. "Out of all the ranks of shinobi, the medics do tend to be the most competitive and catty. However, now that you two are bringing it up, it raises some troubling questions. I don't question Sakura's overall loyalty and trustworthiness, but I wonder if it's wise to allow her continued involvement in the investigation. The situation is too delicate to have uncertain factors in the mix. Even if it's a case of Sakura's inability to handle stress and criticism well, if she becomes defensive or angry about something, she might reveal too much to the wrong people."

Tsunade pauses for a minute before coming to a decision. "For Sasuke's safety, should he accept the mission to infiltrate Danzo's organization, you are not to discuss this with anyone else, especially Sakura. Danzo has too many eyes and ears lurking about. I'll have Shizune adjust Sakura's schedule to ensure she won't have any time to continue being involved in the investigation. Granted, she does seem genuinely interested in assisting you. Even if her behavior turns out to simply be stress related then it might be better to not have her involved anymore. We won't tell her why we're pulling her because it would upset her." Tsunade's gaze hardens. "Be careful about what you two reveal to Sakura from now on. I suggest you advise Sasuke to be more cautious as well. You both did a good job on the mission. Go rest, especially you, Naruto. Give your body a chance to fully recover from the hypothermia. Dismissed."

* * *

**A/N**: Not terribly action packed, but does move the plot forward. ;P

A couple of things I want to make you guys aware of. Probably within the next week it's going to look like I went on a writing binge and added a bunch of chapters. That's not going to be the case. I'm taking the advice of one of my reviewers and will be breaking up some of my longer chapters into smaller ones. I personally love long chapters, but forgot how hard it is to pick up where you left off in reading if you have to leave your computer for a great length of time. That's annoying, especially if the chapter is getting really good.

I'm also going to rework this story. I'm fairly happy with it, but it can be a lot better. However, punching up the chapters won't be until much later. I want to keep moving forward for now, but do plan on doing what I can to improve my writing on this later.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and leaving legit reviews so far. I also want to thank those who stuck this into quite a few C2 communities. I was tickled pink and honored that someone felt my stories were good enough to submit to the communities. Thank you very much! ^_^


	11. New Realizations: Chapter 11

_Taa daa! I present to you the next installment of UTL!_

_It took awhile, but I got my writing mojo back. This particular chapter I was stuck on, but I had to work it out because it's important to the development of the plot. It will start getting more interesting soon._

_Thank you again to all my legitimate reviewers. You and all my readers enjoying this story rock! For you, I will start on the next chapter after I finish updating at least two of my other stories._

* * *

Several minutes after Tsunade dismisses them, Naruto and Kakashi exit the tower to head for home. Both silently remain lost in their thoughts as their footsteps echo sharply throughout the mostly empty streets. Few other souls brave the elements as the cold, sharp temperature keeps everyone else indoors.

Shifting slightly, Naruto pulls the collar of her winter cloak tighter, prompting Kakashi to break their mutual reverie.

"You're being awfully quiet."

"It's a lot to take in," Naruto admits, sighing softly. "It feels like things are at a turning point."

"How so?"

"Can't say," she shrugs, "but everything looks different with Danzo in the picture. Like finding the one, awkward piece that makes it easier to fit the rest of the puzzle together."

Kakashi nods as they round the corner onto another street. "Adding him into the equation is posing possible answers that make a lot of sense. It paints a disturbing picture, but seems to be steering us in the right direction." Pausing in thought for a few beats, he continues, "Although, I still think we should continue searching through the rest of the Uchiha documents instead of relying on Sasuke to dig up the answers."

It's Naruto's turn to nod as their building looms into view. "Definitely. It's also a good distraction." Glancing over, she notices Kakashi's questioning before rolling her eyes. "The investigation keeps Danzo from questioning too deeply why Sasuke is accepting his help now. It support's the idea the teme is frustrated with how things are going. Also keeps the old buzzard from catching on that we're onto him. If we find something good it may force him to make a move and Sasuke will be in place to counter him or dig up more evidence while he's distracted."

"True," Kakashi agrees. "You know, Sasuke may not be able to turn up anything at all."

"Yeah, but at this point it's better than nothing," she states as they begin climbing the stairs. "We're running out of places to look for the answers."

Kakashi merely sighs his agreement as silence falls over them once again until they reach their apartment.

Once inside the door Kakashi turns to Naruto as she removes her cloak. "I'm going to make some tea, do you want some?"

Taking only a moment, she nods. "Yeah, it'll help me unwind before I go take a nap. I'm still beat from everything."

He disappears into the kitchen as she heads into her bedroom. Once inside she dumps her knapsack into the corner of the room. Reaching into a dresser drawer she promptly changes into a worn out, comfortable, black t-shirt and dark orange lounge pants.

Kakashi glances over his shoulder from the kitchen when Naruto emerges from the hallway several minutes later. She immediately begins tending to the many plants throughout the apartment and on the balcony.

Before she moved in, he only had one plant, Mr. Ukki. As time went on, Mr. Ukki made new friends and the apartment started looking rather green and lush. He never bought more plants because he was always out on missions. Plus, he doesn't have the green thumb Naruto has.

He muses the place looks more like a jungle now than it did before Naruto came to live with him, but likes all the new additions. It makes the apartment feel warmer, homier. It feels more like Naruto's home just as much as his.

Since she lost everything in the explosion she never once asked him to make any changes. All he had to do was clean out the spare bedroom. It took him a couple of months just to convince her to buy a new futon and dresser set instead of sleeping on her travel roll and living out of her knapsack. She argued she didn't plan on staying long to inconvenience him or encroach on his privacy more than she already was.

It had taken a lot of adjustment for them to get used to sharing space, especially with Naruto acting more like a guest than a roommate. However, once they got past that things meshed perfectly.

Kakashi felt she officially settled in the day she asked if she could buy a friend for Mr. Ukki. He said he didn't care as long as she took care of it. When he saw how happy that made her, he realized it was the first step towards reclaiming what she lost. She'd never admit it, but he knows it must've been devastating to lose everything she owned.

It wasn't long until they had the tropical paradise they have now. Some of the plants are recent birthday presents. The rest she purchased or made from other plants when she'd repot.

Having everything ready, Kakashi halts his silent musings and picks up the tea tray. Turning to walk out of the kitchen into the dining area, he stops dead in his tracks.

Facing away from him, Naruto is bent over a palm plant in the far corner of the dining room. All her weight is on her right leg while her left is slightly extended behind her and elevated off the floor a little. Her position tightens the loose material of her pants over her backside, giving him a very nice view of her ass.

Kakashi can't help staring until she straightens up with a grunt. Breaking free of his daze, he carries the tray over to the table and sets it down just as she turns around.

"Did you lose something?" he asks innocently while setting out their cups.

Holding out her hands, she shows a small collection of dead leaves. "I picked up what fell behind the pot onto the floor."

Walking past him into the kitchen, she dumps the debris in the garbage. Then she washes her hands in the sink before joining Kakashi at the table. She fails to notice him eyeing her backside as she walks by into the kitchen. He's greatly disappointed her lounging pants currently obscure the view.

"What've you got planned for the rest of the day, Kakashi?" she asks, settling into the seat next to him.

"Reading on the sofa," he shrugs. "Are you going to find Genma?"

"Nope," she replies indifferently, sipping her tea. "I'd rather enjoy a quiet evening at home rather than deal with his ass. Especially if he happens to be in a cranky mood."

The older jounin merely nods as he also sips his tea through his mask. Knowing her relationship with Genma is still on shaky ground he chooses not to press for more details.

"You plan on going out later?" she asks, breaking into his thoughts.

"No, I'd rather stay home."

"We've turned into a couple of old farts," Naruto quips with a smirk. "Next thing you know, we'll be drinking prune juice and going to bed at eight."

Kakashi chuckles and a comfortable silence falls over them as they enjoy their tea.

Minutes later a small toad poofs into the apartment. Appearing on the floor next to Naruto, it hands her a scroll before disappearing again in a cloud of smoke.

"Is it a summons?" Kakashi asks curiously as she opens the scroll.

"No," she replies absentmindedly. Glancing up to meet his questioning gaze she adds, "Ero-sennin just sent me the latest draft of Icha Icha to edit."

Dropping her gaze back to the scroll, she fails to notice Kakashi's excited look.

Rolling it back up she muses, "It looks like I'll be editing the rest of the night."

Looking back up, she barely registers the predatory gleam in his eye. Suddenly his hand snaps out to snatch the scroll away. Naruto barely moves it out of reach.

Kakashi lunges for her outstretched hand as she twists away. Standing up, her chair falls over as she scoots away from the table.

The two teammates silently square off. Kakashi positions himself between her and the front door, blocking any escape.

"I'm doing the editing. No one _**else**_. You'll have to be a good boy and wait until it's published," Naruto smirks.

Kakashi's glare intensifies. She's proud she didn't show her fear because, damn, the man can be intimidating.

"I just want a peek," he growls. "You're being unfair. Besides, who's going to know?"

"I will," she growls back. "You're abusing your position as my roommate, trying to take advantage of the fact I edit for Ero-sennin. The old pervert trusts me not to reveal the plot to anyone, including _**you**_. You can wait until it comes out."

"No," Kakashi replies curtly before lunging again, tackling her to the floor.

They wrestle before he smiles smugly in triumph when he pins her down then grunts in frustration when she disappears in a puff of smoke. Hearing chuckling behind him, he straightens up on his knees and glances over his shoulder. With her arms crossed, she leans her left shoulder inside the doorway to the hallway. Her right hand casually flips the scroll in the air before catching it again.

When he climbs to his feet, she darts down the hallway into the safety of her room. Even if he dares to trespass in there, she can escape out the window. What she doesn't count on is something blocking her doorway. Startled, she looks up into Kakashi's masked face, grinning smugly through his mask. Narrowing her eyes, she doesn't turn around at the sound of his clone dispersing in the living room.

Every step he takes forward, she steps back. Like a lion stalking its prey.

"You're not getting a peek," she growls, refusing to back down.

"I can help edit," he cheerfully offers as they continue towards the living room.

"As if," Naruto snorts. "You'll hog the draft for hours and I won't get any work done on it."

"You're just being mean by not sharing."

"Someone has to be the responsible adult."

Kakashi makes another a grab for the scroll. Extending her arm, she twists her torso in an effort to keep it out of reach. Taking shameless advantage, he tickles a particularly sensitive spot on her ribs. Unable to withhold her shriek, Naruto instinctively drops her arms close to her body, bringing the scroll back within reach.

Both fall into a tangled heap back onto the floor, grappling for the scroll. He continues tickling her with one hand as a distraction while trying to wrest the scroll from her with the other.

Finally, he succeeds, cackling evilly while holding the scroll triumphantly out of her reach. Lunging up, Naruto makes a last ditch effort to snatch it back, yanking on his arm. In a blur of motion, he flips her onto her stomach and sits on her back, deftly pinning her down.

Ignoring her indignant squawks of outrage he grins down at her wriggling form.

"I'd be remiss in my duty as a faithful fan of the Icha Icha series by not perusing this sacred draft and giving an honest assessment of the content," he declares loftily.

Glaring over her shoulder she snaps, "You'd be remiss in your duty by not handing the damn thing back! You'll take so long I won't get it back to Ero-sennin in time to meet his deadline. How faithful will you feel if the book doesn't get published and the series is cancelled 'cause we missed the deadline?"

Kakashi frowns in concern.

For all of a minute.

"I read fast."

Growling, Naruto twists around, lunging upward again and causing Kakashi to lean backwards. Wrapping her hand around the scroll she deftly twists it out of his grip. Using his momentum against him, she shoves the silver-haired jounin onto his back. Quickly scrambling to her feet, she makes a break for it.

Not one to be deterred, Kakashi grabs her waist. Pulling her down again they resume wrestling over the scroll.

Managing to gain the upper hand, Kakashi pins Naruto to the floor. Sitting on her hips he pins her hands above her head with one hand.

Glaring, she snarls, "You're being a dishonorable ass not giving it back!"

"All is fair in porn and war," he declares, smiling smugly through his mask.

"It's erotica," Naruto snaps, "And it's 'all fair in love and war.' Not applicable to porn or erotica!"

"Doesn't matter. I still win," Kakashi replies cheerfully as he kisses the scroll in his other hand.

He halts in his gloating when he feels her tense up underneath him. Glancing down, he notices her terrified expression.

"Are you okay?" he asks, frowning in concern. Her breathing is shallow, almost gasping as she breaks out in a cold sweat.

"Get off," she manages in a panicked voice.

Complying, Kakashi immediately shifts off to her side and helps her into a sitting position. Nudging her legs up into a bent position, he maneuvers her into resting her head on her knees then coaches her into taking deep, slow breaths.

Gradually her breathing evens out. After several minutes he relaxes a little, asking again, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Naruto mumbles into her knees. "Sorry 'bout that."

"What that was about, Naruto?"

Raising her head, she manages a weak smile. "The way you were sitting on me and how you angled your head reminded me of the night Mizuki-traitor attacked me."

When Kakashi cocks a brow, she sighs heavily. Briefly closing her eyes, Naruto pushes her hair off her face with a shaky hand. "I'm sorry. It hit me so fast it felt like I was back there again."

"A flashback," Kakashi states matter of factly.

Naruto sighs again with a nod then opens her eyes.

"What happened?" he prods. "I know Mizuki tricked you into stealing the Forbidden Scroll and Iruka saved you from being killed by him. What else did the traitor do to cause such a strong reaction?"

Hugging her knees, Naruto glances away. "After I failed the genin exam the third time, Mizuki-traitor said I could still graduate. My make up test was to steal the scroll then take it to an abandoned shed in the forest and learn as many jutsu as possible. He and Iruka would meet me there when my time was up then I could show what I learned. If I did good, they'd graduate me."

"I did as he said. When I got to the shed and opened up the scroll I was pissed. The first damn jutsu was the fucking Kage Bunshin," she growls in annoyance.

Kakashi chuckles at her surly expression, remembering it was because she couldn't do a regular Bunshin that she failed that last genin exam.

"As usual your stubbornness carried you through to learn a jounin level jutsu when you weren't even a genin," he grins.

"Damn straight," she declares proudly. "I was beat by the time the traitor arrived. Didn't even notice when he got there until his shadow fell over me. He was still acting all friendly, asking if I learned any jutsu. I said hell yeah and jumped up, ready to show him. That's when he got a strange look in his eye." Naruto's eyes lower with her voice. "Next thing I knew, I was on the ground. He sneered there was one other requirement I had to fulfill then he started yanking down my jacket zipper."

Pausing to take a slow, deep breath, she adds, "I wasn't sure what the hell was going on, but he was starting to scare me. Just as he got my jacket open I snapped back to my senses and kneed him hard in the nuts. I tried making a break for it, but didn't get far before he tackled me. I tried pushing him off and hitting him, but I was really tired. So I started screaming and yelling."

Finally meeting Kakashi's inscrutable gaze Naruto shrugs. "Next thing I knew the bastard disappeared off me and Iruka was bending over me, asking if I was okay. When I said yeah, he started fighting with the traitor. And it looked like Iruka was going to totally wipe the floor with that asshole, but Mizuki-traitor lucked out and nailed him to the shed with shuriken and kunai. He stopped to gloat and try freaking me out further by blabbing 'bout the Kyuubi."

Rolling her eyes, Naruto shakes her head. "I called him a moron 'cause that was old news. He got really pissed and tossed a giant shuriken at me. I couldn't get away fast enough. Iruka knocked me down and took it in the back. Then I got really pissed and created a ton of Kage Bunshins to beat the crap out of the prick."

Kakashi chuckles at the malicious glint in Naruto's eyes, teasing, "The traitor learned the hard way not to mess with Iruka while you're around."

Naruto grins, "Hell yeah. Iruka saved my ass in more ways than I can even begin to tell, so there's no way I'm letting anyone hurt him." Becoming serious, she adds, "When you pinned me to the floor right now, the light hit your hair just right. That's sort of how Mizuki-traitor looked when he pinned me down and I just freaked. I'm sorry," she finishes quietly.

Reaching out, Kakashi tucks a red strand behind her ear. "Don't apologize. I'm the one who should apologize. I would've been more careful if I thought our horsing around would trigger a flashback."

"But it wasn't your fault," Naruto insists. "I was having fun until that happened. If anyone's to blame, it's that worthless traitor." Sighing wearily, she adds, "It was bad timing. I'm sorry if I freaked you out."

"I said don't apologize," he gently admonishes her, pulling her into a hug, which she gladly returns.

After a few minutes he releases her and hands her Jiraiya's scroll. "Mizuki took the fun out of it for the moment," he explains at her baffled expression.

"For the moment?" she asks, quirking a brow.

"Of course," he grins through his mask. "I'm not giving up on sneaking a peek."

"In your dreams," she snorts. Smiling softly she leans in, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you." At his questioning look she explains, "For saving my ass again during the mission and for putting up with me."

Before he can respond, she climbs to her feet. After picking up the overturned chair, she starts cleaning up the tea things.

Kakashi gently grasps her by the shoulders and steers her towards her room. "I'll clean up. You need to take a nap; it's been a stressful week."

She starts to protest when he unceremoniously shoves her inside her room and firmly shuts the door on her. Staring at the closed door, Naruto debates on being stubborn and raising a ruckus. Instead she looks down at the scroll in her hand. Making a decision, she hides it before settling down in her futon for a nap.

Her final thought before drifting off is to silently thank the gods for sticking someone like Kakashi in her life.

* * *

Sasuke is the first to admit he's not much of a people person and being deliberately anti-social most of the time. It's simply the way he is and makes no apologies for it. His solitude is simply his time to think and meditate.

Unfortunately, most people don't seem to get this no matter how taciturn he acts. He really wishes people would catch the hint when he wants to be alone, especially pink haired teammates who have known him for years.

Sighing inwardly, Sasuke appreciates that Sakura is fairly quiet as they leave the Tower after giving their reports to Tsunade that morning. He just prefers to be walking home alone to spend the rest of the day thinking.

"Sasuke?" Sakura's hesitant question prompts him to glance at her sidelong. "Would you like to join me for tea?"

Inwardly sighing again, Sasuke resumes looking forward. She sounds like she did when they were on Team 7, constantly begging for a date.

"No thanks," he declines succinctly. Out of his peripheral vision he notices her disappointed look, which she tries to play off.

"Oh. Okay. I just thought it'd be nice to unwind with a nice cup of tea before heading home," she explains with a forced smile. "It would've been great if Naruto and Kakashi could've joined us, but it looks like they'll be in with Tsunade-shisou for a while. I'd go find Ritsu, but he's out on a mission." Her smile turns shy and sheepish. "I just thought you might like to join me before heading home."

Sasuke remains inscrutable while inwardly cringing at his mistake. He rejected her invitation out of habit, completely forgetting she's in a relationship. Attempting to save face, he shrugs nonchalantly. "I don't feel like going to a teahouse and wanted to warm up with some tea at home. You're more than welcome to join me."

"That sounds much better than a teahouse," Sakura smiles brightly. "Thanks, Sasuke."

Sasuke returns her smile with a slight one as they continue together toward his home. Once they're inside, it doesn't take them long to settle in the dining room. After a couple awkward starts, Sakura manages to start a genuine conversation with Sasuke.

He's pleasantly surprised to discover that having tea with her is quite enjoyable thanks to her quick wit and interesting views. While they talk, he briefly wonders why he hasn't noticed this before realizing he never spent any time alone with her since returning to Konoha. Kakashi and Naruto are always around whenever he has any interaction with Sakura. Plus, he's been focusing his attention on Naruto more than anyone else.

Mentally he acknowledges he has been avoiding Sakura as much as possible. He remembers all too well her behavior when they were genin teammates. Granted, she became less annoying as time went on, but she was prone to frequent fan girl relapses.

Now he believes he might have misjudged her. He still doesn't fully trust her because of her antics in their youth. However, now he can admit she's matured.

"Isn't it great our team is back together again, Sasuke?" Sakura asks breaking his reverie. "It's like we have a second chance to do things right this time."

Nodding, he sips his tea before replying, "We've all grown and changed."

"Especially Naruto," she points out. Pausing, she reaches for a rice cracker and takes a bite before continuing. "I never imagined how much that lovable goof would change. And not just becoming stronger, either. Yet, as much as she's matured, she's still the same."

At Sasuke's confused look, Sakura smiles fondly. "Despite everything, Naruto hasn't grown bitter or jaded." Sighing softly, she admits, "I envy Naruto for that. It's partly why I distanced myself from Kakashi and Naruto. I let the bitterness at my own weakness drive me away from those who mattered most. Naruto always believed we'd get you back and I felt like a failure for giving up like that."

Sasuke lets the silence stretch out before reminding her, "It was my decision to leave."

"Yeah," she nods, "but if we'd truly been teammates I should've been able to convince you to stay. I could've helped you find another path to achieve your goal. That's what teammates and friends are supposed to do." Sakura sighs heavily. "It took a long time to accept my failure and focus on improving myself. I couldn't face Kakashi and Naruto as equals until I did that. Naruto never gave up, so how could I give up so easily?"

"No matter how badly someone shakes Naruto's beliefs, she still grows in knowledge and strength," Sasuke muses quietly, surprising himself just as much as Sakura.

Arching a brow, Sakura adds, "Especially when you're the one shaking those beliefs to the core." When Sasuke visibly bristles she challenges, "You can't deny it, Sasuke. And I'm not condemning you. I don't agree with your choices, but I understand it's what you had to do. However, you challenged Naruto's belief system. Instead of caving, she used it as her driving force to improve because, and you should be honest about this, if she couldn't meet you on the same level, blow for blow, you wouldn't have listened to her."

The silence stretches out until Sasuke grudgingly nods in agreement.

"It doesn't hurt that Naruto turned into such a knockout," she smirks before giggling at Sasuke's gobsmacked expression. "C'mon, Sasuke. Did you really think no one noticed how you've been looking at her? She's no longer your annoying tomboy rival."

Grunting in annoyance, Sasuke scowls off in another direction causing Sakura to laugh uproariously.

When he glares back, she grins, "I'm your teammate and been around you long enough to know exactly what you're thinking sometimes." Her grin shifts to a rueful smirk. "Well, it's mostly been misses than hits, but your feelings for Naruto are pretty obvious." She leans across the table and gently clasps his hand. "It's okay. I'm not going to torture you about it." Her grin turns wicked as she mischievously adds, "Much." Ignoring is deepening scowl, she gives his hand a reassuring squeeze before releasing it. "You really should let her know how you feel."

"It's pointless because she's dating Genma," Sasuke sullenly admits.

"So?" At Sasuke's confused look she rolls her eyes. "In case you've been too busy brooding to notice, Naruto and Genma's relationship isn't exactly rock solid. I don't mean to be skeptical, but they're not going to be together for much longer. Just come right out and tell her because one thing that absolutely hasn't changed about the baka is she still doesn't know the meaning of subtlety."

Sakura is surprised when Sasuke busts out laughing. She honestly thought he was incapable of laughing.

Sobering he admits, "She probably won't be interested in dating me after everything I've done."

He's stunned when Sakura reaches out and smacks him across the head.

"You're being more of a baka than Naruto ever was!" she yells. Calming down a little, she points out, "You won't know until you ask. Another thing that hasn't changed is her honesty. Besides, it's better to know than wonder, right? It's also not like she's got another guy waiting in the wings either, so you don't have to worry about competition."

At Sasuke's arched brow Sakura rolls her eyes again and blows out a frustrated breath. "C'mon! Besides Genma, Naruto has only dated Choji and Neji."

"I know that," Sasuke glares before reluctantly admitting, "I thought there'd be guys lining up to date Naruto."

"Good point," Sakura acquiesces with a nod. "But Naruto being the Jinchuriki really puts a damper on her dating scene." Holding up a hand, she counts off on her fingers. "Most guys are either loathe to date the demon vessel or are wary of her. Then she's suspicious of any guy expressing interest because most either just want bragging rights on bedding her and surviving or they want to try and kill her."

At Sasuke's shocked look Sakura sighs in exasperation, feeling all this should be obvious. "Okay, there was only one guy who tried to kill her, but needless to say she became wary afterward."

Sasuke growls, "I hope the bastard was caught and punished."

"Oh, he probably was more than happy to end up in custody once Naruto was done with him," Sakura smirks.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Sasuke's curiosity gets the better of him. "How did Naruto end up dating Choji and Neji?"

Sipping her tea, Sakura sets down her cup. "Naruto was hanging around Choji and Shikamaru when Choji complained about Ino ragging on him to go on a diet. She said he'd never get a girlfriend unless he was thinner. Naruto being her usual self said she didn't care if he was thin or not, so she'd be his girlfriend."

"Just like that they started dating?" Sasuke asks, incredulous.

"Are you really surprised?"

"No, but Choji's priority has always been food, not dating."

"Apparently, not as much as everyone thought," Sakura shrugs. "Choji was Naruto's first boyfriend and she was his first girlfriend. Although they shared some interests, like eating, they still didn't have enough in common to keep the relationship going. It was more a learning experience for them. Neji, on the other hand, was a big shock."

"I bet," Sasuke comments. "He was just as bad as I was toward girls."

"That's the truth," Sakura grins. "No one ever thought he'd ask Naruto of all people out. We all thought he'd think it beneath him to date the girl who kicked his ass in the chuunin exams."

"She must've made more of an impression on him than anyone thought," Sasuke smirks.

"She must've," Sakura nods. "Naruto was a good influence on Neji, getting him loosen up a little, but it wasn't enough. He was still way too stiff to keep up with her carefree way. Didn't help that most of those stuck up Hyugas of the main family already disliked Hinata being friends with her. Naturally, they didn't approve of their relationship, so Neji and Naruto decided it wasn't worth the grief and broke up."

"How do you know all this if you distanced yourself from Naruto?" Sasuke asks, eyeing Sakura shrewdly.

"Ino," she replies easily. "Naruto did tell me more details when we became friends again." When Sasuke nods in understanding, she continues. "Genma is Naruto's longest and most complicated relationship to date. They hadn't interacted much since he proctored her match against Neji in the Chuunin Exams. Then they happened to be at the Zodiac at the same time one night. Naruto was there with the rest of the rookies and went to the bar to order more drinks."

Sakura pauses as Sasuke pours more tea into her cup. Nodding her thanks, she takes a sip before continuing. "Anyway, the owner, Shigure, was bartending that night. He teased Naruto because she said, 'We'd like another round.' Being his typical smartass self, he asked, 'What's with the 'we'? Do you have a mouse in your pocket? Not one to be outdone, Naruto shot back, 'You're just jealous because mine is bigger than yours.' That got everyone within earshot laughing. She was standing next to Genma when all this happened. He liked her attitude and started flirting with her and soon they started dating."

Pausing again, she takes another sip before adding, "Yet for all the drama he's put her through they haven't slept together."

At Sasuke's quirked brow, Sakura shrugs. "Naruto won't admit it. She says she doesn't kiss and tell, but we all know she's still a virgin."

Picking a bad time to sip his tea, Sasuke begins choking at that statement.

Ignoring him since he's already recovering and wiping off the spray, Sakura points out, "It's probably a good thing considering all the trouble she has with Genma. Besides, Naruto's rather clueless about those things." At Sasuke's incredulous look, she rolls her eyes again. "Contrary to popular belief, Jiraiya-sama did not educate Naruto _**that**_ way. Tsunade-shisou would've killed him. I figured it out when Naruto and I were hanging out with Ino and Tenten not too long ago. We started talking about our sexual experiences and Naruto turned so red I think she may have ended up scarred for life." Briefly pausing in thought, she adds, "Though, that may have been more from Ino sharing far too much information about her escapades with Gai, than anything Tenten and I shared."

Sasuke pales. "That would scar anybody."

Sakura grimaces and nods in agreement. "Anyway, I doubt Naruto would turn you down." She sighs wearily at Sasuke's stunned look. "C'mon, Sasuke. You two have known each other for years. You've seen each other at your best and worst. Despite everything, you two still have a strong bond and a deeply rooted friendship. You can't ask for a better foundation to build a relationship."

Falling silent, Sasuke contemplates her words.

Deciding she's tortured Sasuke enough, Sakura glances out a nearby window. "I should probably be heading home."

Rising to his feet to help her up, Sasuke escorts her to the front door. "Thanks for joining me for tea, Sakura."

Smiling fondly, she leans in and kisses him on the cheek. "Thanks for inviting me in."

He frowns when her smile drops as she sighs. "What's wrong?"

Startled, she blinks at him before smiling sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm still feeling wound up from the mission. I thought I'd relax after having some tea, but it really didn't help. I don't really want to go work it off at the training ground, but since I don't have access to my usual outlet I'm going to have to."

"What's your usual outlet?" Sasuke asks out of curiosity.

Blushing furiously Sakura quietly replies, "Ritsu."

It takes a moment to realize what she meant before he starts blushing himself.

"Sorry!" she apologizes quickly, waving her hands in the air. "I didn't mean to embarrass you! It's just…" She trails off before sheepishly admitting with a shrug, "Having sex is a great tension reliever after a hard mission than tearing up the training grounds. I don't end up so exhausted. It's the better option since I've got a shift at the hospital in the morning." Still flushed, she bows, adding, "I'm sorry for over sharing like that. Thanks again for the tea, Sasuke."

Sasuke eyes her for a moment. He can't deny this particular topic is awkward, especially since it's with his former, number one, fan girl. However, Sakura's recounting of Naruto's dating history and her suggestion he actually has a chance with the dobe aroused him.

"Um," he begins awkwardly. "I'm not too embarrassed. I'm not new to the idea of releasing mission stress with sex. I'm still feeling anxious with nervous energy from the mission as well," he reluctantly admits.

He doesn't mention he's been plagued with the memories of lying next to Naruto in the cave and all the fantasies born of such close proximity.

Continuing, he adds, "I used Karin a couple of times, but stopped when she started becoming clingy. I resorted to strenuous workouts afterward."

Contemplating Sakura as she considers his words, he wonders if he'd have the same problem since she's a former fan girl. However, unlike Karin, she's in a serious relationship.

"Sakura," he calls, breaking her from out of her reverie. "Is it possible for us to be friends with benefits?"

At Sakura's puzzled look he sighs. "You obviously care for Ritsu a great deal and are committed to your relationship. However, you need some release just like I do." When her eyes widen slightly he quickly adds, "It's not something we'd have to do more than this once. We can both walk away without feeling guilty. We're both adults needing a simple stress reliever."

She mulls it over before asking, "No strings attached?"

Sasuke nods, repeating, "No strings attached."

"Isn't it ironic?" she smirks. "I would've killed for the opportunity to have you when we were younger. Now that we're older and I'm no longer chasing after you, we're actually going to do the deed."

Flinching as if slapped, Sasuke begins to apologize. "I'm sorry, Sakura, I didn't mean…"

"Don't," she cuts him off. "We both need this and can walk away without regrets. We're using each other for the same ends, so there's nothing to apologize for. I just find it ironic how things have come full circle."

Sasuke smirks before turning and leading her to his bedroom.

* * *

The late afternoon sun filters through the windows, casting warm hues and soft shadows throughout the apartment. Kakashi is stretched across the sofa reading when he hears Naruto emerge from her room into the bathroom.

He spent most of the afternoon thinking about her panic attack and the event that triggered it and found her version of Mizuki's attack rather insightful. There was a lot more to the story than she shared. He was there for most of it even if she didn't know it. The incident occurred during his last days as an active ANBU and he was part of the squad searching for her. If he didn't know better, he would've thought everything happened in one night when it was over two nights.

Naruto's version certainly highlights her true thoughts and feelings. As much as she cares for her precious people, she still hides a lot from them. She refuses to share her pain, preferring to delude them into believing she's content and happy. Kakashi muses that wasn't hard for her to do since they all willingly bought into those illusions for years.

Granted, he knew from the beginning Naruto hid behind a cheerful façade, but believed it only masked the superficial pain and hurt, so no one would think less of her. He thought she accepted and moved on from her past, glossing over the new hurts to keep from getting dragged down by them.

He believed all this until she moved in with him, then he truly fathomed how poorly he read underneath the underneath. Her panic attack earlier is simply another painful reminder of that failing.

It didn't take long after she moved in to realize how much she denies herself to make others happy. Naturally, she loses her temper, but only for inconsequential things and annoyances. When it's a question of his comfort or inconvenience, she always puts him first.

He also got a front row seat to how she interacted with others, keeping silent no matter how much they hurt her with their insults. This is especially true with Genma. It took Kakashi awhile to realize how insecure she really is.

Kakashi knows there are things regarding the Mizuki incident he isn't aware of. Not that he expects Naruto to willingly share. She'll stubbornly refuse to reveal more than necessary. He's certain it's either because she doesn't want to face it or doesn't know how to deal with it, so she shoves it aside in an effort to forget. That's one thing he can certainly testify to, one never forgets.

Yet, as usual, she acts like nothing has happened. When she appears from the hallway, Kakashi watches her over his book as she heads to the kitchen to get a glass of water. He feigns inattentiveness as she heads back into the living room and moves over to the bookcase located next to the sofa near his head. She pokes around among the books and scrolls before several sheets of paper block his line of sight. A dark grey eye widens in realization the pages are Jiraiya's Icha Icha manuscript.

The sheets disappear when he reaches for them. A grunt escapes when a heavy weight suddenly lands on his chest. Startled, he gapes into laughing blue eyes as Naruto effectively pins him to the sofa with her body. She doesn't seem to realize the precariousness of the situation. However, he's more than aware.

"I have a proposition for you," she declares, prompting an arched silver brow. "Ero-sennin never gives me enough time to edit. Too much time spent on _research,_" she snorts, rolling her eyes. "This time he procrastinated more than usual and I have to really hustle to get it back in time. I should've read his message better before taking a nap 'cause I have to send it back before tomorrow night. So, here's the deal."

Naruto shifts to rest her chin on her fist, making the situation even more uncomfortable for Kakashi as her body presses further into his.

"You can read the manuscript, but only if you help me edit. I'll read through first and give you the chapters once I'm done. You've just got to catch whatever I miss. I usually read through it a few times to catch all the goofs, but there isn't enough time. If we're lucky I might get to read through it a second time once you finish your part. But," she pauses to raise the index finger of her other hand to emphasize her point. "If you're going to help, you have to do a good job or the deal's off."

Kakashi mulls it over for a few moments. "I thought Jiraiya didn't want anyone else seeing the manuscript."

"Who's gonna tell?" she asks, arching a brow.

"Some might attempt to use that for blackmail."

Smiling sweetly, she replies, "If someone is malicious enough to snitch me out to Ero-sennin, he won't have me edit anymore. Not that I'd mind," she shrugs. "The books are so boring to begin with. But that means there won't be more chances to read the latest Icha Icha before it's published."

Kakashi stares in abject horror. "I'll help."

"Good," she chirps, playfully flicking his nose before getting off to stand next to the sofa and handing him the papers. "I've already gone through the first chapter. You can go over it while I make dinner. Take your time 'cause I still have to go over the next chapter."

After a moment's consideration, Kakashi states, "I'll help with dinner so we can maintain an even pace editing and I won't get so far ahead of you."

"Sounds good," Naruto nods before heading into the kitchen.

After a quick, simple dinner both settle down in the living room and start editing Jiraiya's draft.

Originally, Naruto starts out on one end of the sofa while Kakashi stretches out on the other. When Kakashi tries propping his feet onto her lap, Naruto shoves them off in annoyance only to have him repeat the attempt. She then tries tickling him before resorting to trying to sit on his feet. It degenerates into a pseudo-wrestling match between her and his feet in which he comes out the winner when he shoves her to the floor.

Annoyed, Naruto concedes defeat rather than waste anymore time fighting with him. So while he claims the entire sofa, she claims the kotatsu. She found it much easier to work off the table anyway.

A couple of hours later Naruto notes how much progress they've made and quips, "Maybe we should start waving early Icha Icha drafts in your face, Kakashi, 'cause then you won't be so lazy and might be on time."

She laughs at his glare, earning a forceful nudge in the head from his foot.

"Less talk, more work," he huffs.

"I am working. Look how far ahead we are," she grins, gesturing at the stack on the table where she's been laying the finished chapters until he can take his turn.

"I'm surprised you managed to get so far ahead of me," he comments.

"Not like it's hard," she replies, rolling her eyes. "There isn't a lot of variation when it comes to Ero-sennin's writing style. The stories change, but his basic style and format is pretty standard. He also repeats the same mistakes, so those are easy to spot," she explains, looking back down at the page in her hands.

"What takes longer are the improvements and suggestions I make," shaking her head, she places the sheet she finished reading face down onto Kakashi's pile and starts on the next one. "Ero-sennin brags his books are extraordinary, but sometimes his sex scenes are pretty dull, so I have to liven them up."

Kakashi blinks at her in surprise before nodding his head. "Good point. Now that you mention it, some of the sex scenes I've read so far are mediocre."

Naruto nods. "Right now I'm just going through the grammar and spelling. After you're done, I'll redo the boring parts."

Both continue working in companionable silence for a couple more hours, until a heavy weight falls against the side of Kakashi's stomach. Glancing down, he sees Naruto is fast asleep. Sometime earlier she adjusted herself to lean against the sofa and rest her elbow on the cushions so she could prop her head on her hand while reading. Her head slid down onto her bicep and rolled against his stomach while the pages she was reading rest in lax fingers on her lap.

Smiling in amusement he considers waking her up. She wanted to progress as much as possible on Jiraiya's draft tonight. Instead, he decides to let her be. Whether she admits it or not, she's still recuperating and needs the rest.

Several minutes pass before Naruto starts mumbling incoherently. At first he ignores it, but starts paying more attention when it sounds urgent and desperate. He watches her brow furrow as her head starts rolling back and forth against her bicep.

Kakashi begins to worry when she mutters repeatedly, "Stop it!" and "Let go!"

Knowing it's normally not a good idea to wake any shinobi from a nightmare, he chances it since Naruto's is growing progressively worse.

Readying himself, Kakashi sits up and gently shakes her shoulder while firmly calling, "Naruto."

Without warning her head shoots up, her eyes wild and disoriented as she frantically looks around. Blinking repeatedly in confusion, her breathing and heart rate slows as she relaxes upon recognizing her surroundings.

As she runs a shaky hand through her hair, Kakashi asks, "Are you okay?"

Taking a slow, deep breath she smiles. "Yeah. It's just a nightmare."

"Sounded too vivid for a nightmare, Naruto," he points out. "It seemed more like you were reliving a bad memory."

"Nah, just a nightmare caused by Ero-sennin's bad writing," she plays off with a shaky laugh.

Reaching down, Kakashi clasps her wrist and lifts it into view between them. "If it's just a simple nightmare, then why are you shaking so badly?"

Staring at her shaking hand for a moment, Naruto swallows thickly and looks away guiltily. "It's nothing," she mumbles. "Just something stupid I've already gotten over."

Kakashi startles her when he slides down onto the floor next to her. Clasping her face in his hands, he forces her to look at him. "Don't shut down. It's not stupid if it affects you that much. Don't become like me. You need to let it out to move on or risk getting stuck in the past."

Stunned, Naruto stares until he pulls her into a tight hug. He holds her for several minutes while she struggles to control her breathing.

When she finally pulls back from the hug, Kakashi keeps one arm draped around her shoulders, holding her close while his other hand clasps hers in her lap.

"It's bad enough I lived it," she begins quietly, unable to meet his gaze. "But I don't want to remember. Talking about it makes me remember."

Kakashi releases her hand to reach up and gently grasp her chin to force her to look at him. "It's obvious other things are causing you to remember, isn't it?" he asks, gazing intensely into her eyes. Reluctantly she nods. Breaking the silence again, he adds, "You were reliving the Mizuki incident."

Naruto gapes at him before nodding. "There was more that happened than what I told you," she admits hesitantly.

Seeing the look in his eye, she takes a deep breath and picks up from when Mizuki found her.

"When the traitor pinned me down, he pulled down my pants and underwear and lifted my shirt to touch me. I tried keeping his filthy hands off me, but the asshole was really hurting me. When I yelled and screamed, he clamped his hand over my mouth and nose. I couldn't breathe. He said he wouldn't dream of defiling himself with demon filth. He then started beating me until I blacked out."

Naruto's gaze dropped when she started speaking. Raising her eyes to look at Kakashi's impassive face, she continues. "When I woke up, it was daytime and I was hogtied to the traitor's back as he traveled through the trees. He said I should get used to being tied up because my new owners aren't likely to let me move about on my own. I demanded to know what the fuck he was talking about. He just laughed and called me stupid. Saying he could just kill me, but what's the value in that besides the satisfaction of knowing I'm dead and the bragging rights? If he's going to profit from the Forbidden Scroll, then he might as well profit from me. I'll make some sadistic pedophile very happy when I'm sold as a slave on the black market. I started struggling even more when he said that. He just grabbed me by the hair and flung me to the ground."

Pausing, Naruto takes a deep, shaky breath. "The prick was traveling high enough through the treetops for the fall to break bones and knock me out again. The next time I woke up, I was in a small, dark, stinky room. It smelled like livestock, so I was probably in a barn or something. There were three other girls around my age or younger with me. My clothes were gone and I was wearing a short, white cotton, sack dress. It wasn't long until we were herded out into the main room before a crowd of people. They forced us to stand on a crate to see if anyone would buy us. No one bought the other girls and their throats were cut. When it was my turn, one loser stepped forward and offered 50 million ryo."

Smiling slightly, Naruto quips, "Who would've thought I'd be worth that much. Even now, the bounty on my head is only at 20 million ryo." Noticing Kakashi's frown and continued silence, she sighs heavily as her gaze drops again. "The bastard's henchmen grabbed me, but Mizuki-traitor demanded his cut of the sale. As they argued, all hell broke loose. Next thing I know, a couple of ANBU start fighting with the henchman and everyone is running and screaming for the exits. Iruka came out of nowhere and grabbed my arm, fighting off a couple more henchmen. When he pushed me behind him so he could fight, Mizuki-traitor grabbed me and took off. He eventually stopped deep in the forest and pinned me down by sitting on my hips, holding both my hands down above my head with one hand. He said he'd make me suffer and pressed a kunai between my legs. I didn't want to find out _**exactly**_ what he'd do, so I struggled, slicing my thighs up pretty good."

"Iruka showed up and knocked the traitor off of me. After checking my wounds he pointed where I should run to meet up with the ANBU squad. The traitor recovered and started fighting with Iruka. I tried to escaping like Iruka wanted, but Mizuki noticed and threw several kunai at me. Iruka knocked me out of the way and got pinned to a tree. Mizuki-traitor then blabbed about the fox being sealed inside me." Naruto smirks, adding, "Needless to say, he was really pissed when it didn't have the expected impact 'cause I already knew. That's when he threw the giant shuriken at me, but I couldn't get my body moving. Iruka knocked me down and took it in the back."

Taking a deep, slow breath Naruto runs a shaky hand through her hair. "Seeing Iruka injured like that made me snap. I don't even remember creating all those Kage Bunshins. I remember the desire to kill and, ironically, the traitor was the one to break me out of the killing haze. He said he could die with honor because he showed everyone what a monster I am." Pausing, she sighs wearily. "Although he deserved to die, that stopped me dead. If I killed him, I'd be exactly what he was saying, a monster. As often as people called me that, I'm not. I'd just beat up his ass, so I didn't have to kill him. But he kept daring me to kill him. So I settled for kicking him as hard as I could in the nuts, causing him to pass out. I checked on Iruka. He was alive, but unconscious. After that, I don't remember much, not even returning to the village."

Throughout Naruto's story, Kakashi holds her, remaining silent and patiently waiting for her to speak when she's ready.

"Iruka always said Mizuki-traitor changed me," she states quietly. "And he's right."

Kakashi pulls back a little to look at her incredulously.

Closing her eyes, she shrugs in his embrace. "To keep everyone from worrying, well, actually to keep just the Third and Iruka from worrying. They were the only ones who cared about me at the time. Anyway, I went back to being as loud and obnoxious as before. The difference was before I was trying to get people to notice and acknowledge me. After Mizuki-traitor I didn't like anyone noticing me. But if I didn't continue like that, Iruka and the old man would think something was wrong. I just became more cautious. It was easier to play up being naive because no one expects much from an idiot. That worked to my advantage, as no one knew what I'd do next. Made me realize the benefit of living down to other people's expectations."

"That was probably the one good thing to come out of the whole incident. Your unpredictability makes you a formidable shinobi," Kakashi states, speaking for the first time since she started her story.

"I almost didn't become a ninja because of it," she admits, shocking Kakashi. Reluctantly she adds, "Even though Iruka passed me 'cause of all the Kage Bunshin I made, I refused the headband. Mizuki-traitor proved what an idiot I was to think of becoming a shinobi, much less Hokage." Shrugging she adds, "Honestly, no one wanted to see me graduate. I wasn't the smartest, or the strongest, or the most talented student. Even if I hadn't failed the exam, Mizuki-traitor proved I couldn't trust anyone. He was my sensei, someone I was told to trust and respect and, if I had graduated, he would've been a comrade. Yet he betrayed me without batting an eye. If everyone hated me as much as he did because of the fox, how could I trust anyone? And you have to trust your comrades out in the field or you're just digging your own grave."

With a reluctant sigh, Kakashi nods. "You're right, you have to trust and rely on your comrades. Did you still have those feelings when I tested Team 7?

"Pretty much," she readily admits. "It was hard trusting anyone, even people I've known for years. Who else hated me behind a smiling face? The old man insisted I get therapy, but I just told the shrinks what they wanted to hear or annoy the hell out of them to distract them from making me talk about Mizuki." A fond smile spreads across her face. "I never could fool Iruka. He kept after me until I admitted I didn't want to be a shinobi anymore. Then the big jerk refused to let me give up so easily."

"Iruka refused to understand giving up on being a ninja wasn't easy, just logical," Naruto explains with a heavy sigh. Fixing her gaze back on Kakashi, she watches the shock spread across his face when she adds, "I had really hoped you'd fail us. I wanted to go back to the academy and then drop out. I know, I didn't get the point of the test was teamwork, but I was relieved at how hard you made it. The better the chance we'd fail. That's why I was such a retard during the whole thing, challenging you to fight and trying to steal the bento boxes. I figured sooner or later I'd succeed in pissing you off," she smirks.

"There was no way in hell I'd grab a bell and wasn't bothering to try, but I had to keep up appearances or the old man would find a way to make me a shinobi. The old coot was devious and could make anyone do something they didn't want to."

Kakashi couldn't resist grinning, not denying her claim.

"I was so relieved when the timer went off and none of us got a bell. Although, I wasn't happy about being tied to the post. Reminded me a little too much of Mizuki," she glares at Kakashi in irritation.

"I didn't know," Kakashi replies.

"I know," Naruto grudgingly admits, her gaze drifting to the side.

"You seemed ecstatic when I passed the team," Kakashi points out. "Were you really upset instead?"

"Nah," Naruto shrugs. "By then I was mostly happy to pass. Even though I really wanted to fail, there was still an annoying part of me that didn't want to give up." At Kakashi's knowing smirk, she rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. My nindo and all that shit. But, at that point it wasn't my driving force. I really wanted to quit so maybe I could fade into the background. The village would forget about me and maybe I could live a normal life without anyone trying to kill me anymore."

A soft smile graces her lips. "You were the one who really changed my mind y'know." At Kakashi's confused look, she adds, "It was when you said those who don't support their comrades and abandon them are lower than trash. Then Sasuke offered her part of his bento, which prompted Sakura to actually give me a bite of hers. For a moment, you guys showed me that not everyone is like Mizuki. I thought becoming a ninja might still be worth a shot."

"Do you think you made the right choice?" Kakashi asks.

Without hesitation Naruto nods. "I won't deny it's been tough at times, especially when Sasuke took off to Orochimaru, but it's been worth it. Even with the old prunes on the council giving me a hard time lately I can't imagine doing anything else."

"What about becoming Hokage?"

Naruto falls silent for several moments. "I'm not sure about that anymore," she reluctantly admits. "It's hard chasing that dream when there are some pretty influential people working just as hard to keep me from it. I'm tired of fighting for it. I don't want to disappoint anyone and I don't want to break my nindo, but it's exhausting."

Kakashi tightens his hold on her. "As long as you're still willing to fight for it, I'll be there to help, as will everyone else who believes in you."

"Thanks, Kakashi," Naruto smiles warmly. "That's why I haven't given up." Glancing over at the pages on the kotatsu, she sighs tiredly. "We need to get back to work."

Eyeing her critically, Kakashi points out, "It might be better if you get some rest tonight. You look exhausted. We can get back to this tomorrow morning. Unless you've got some more deep, darks secret to share."

"Not any I'd ever willingly share," she firmly states, causing him to arch a brow. Before he can respond, she shakes her head. "I'd rather continue working on Ero-sennin's manuscript."

"We've made excellent progress. There's no need to rush," he tries reasoning again.

Naruto gazes intensely into his eyes. "I don't want to deal with that memory any more tonight. It woke me from my nap. If you want to turn in, fine, but I'm not."

Seeing the determined set to her eyes, Kakashi sighs and nods. Short of hitting her with another sleep jutsu, which she wouldn't appreciate, there'd be no changing her mind.

Squeezing her shoulder, he climbs to his feet. "I'm making some tea. Would you like some?"

"Sure," she readily accepts with a smile. "I'll keep working in the meantime."

It's well after midnight when Naruto drifts off, leaning against the sofa again as her head lolled off her arm against his side.

She is already three-quarters of the way through the manuscript and far ahead of Kakashi. Not that Kakashi is a slower reader because he could've easily kept up if he wanted to. Instead, he focused on keeping a close eye on her, making sure she's okay both emotionally and physically.

Watching her sleep he debates on carrying her into her room and settling her in her own futon for the night, but ultimately decided against it. He wants to be close by in case she has another nightmare about Mizuki.

Sitting up, he gently eases Naruto down and stretches her out across the sitting pillows. He considers lifting her onto the sofa, but she murmurs and shifts in her sleep when he moves her. He ultimately decides not to risk waking her. Gathering up all the stray pages of Jiraiya's manuscript she was working on, Kakashi stacks them neatly on the surface of the kotatsu. Turning off most of the lights in the room, he leaves a small lamp on just in case there's another nightmare. Finally, Kakashi stretches out on the sofa to get some sleep.

Sleep didn't come easily. His mind swirls with all the new details he learned, incorporating them with his own memories of the Mizuki incident. It hadn't taken the Sandaime long realize not only had she been tricked into stealing the Forbidden Scroll, but she had been kidnapped.

Even then, Kakashi knew she was sensei's kid. He'd always known. Over the years frequently he checked on her even if his own grief prevented him from getting close. The anxiety he felt when she was abducted the first time had him crawling out of his skin. He was obsessive about finding her to the point the Third had to order him to get some rest and sleep. It drove him crazy not knowing where she was and he didn't think he could take it if she turned up dead. He was ecstatic when Iruka found her. Afterwards, he kept a closer eye on her during his off-duty hours, especially when he couldn't get the Third to assign him to her guard detail.

However, once they returned to Konoha after finding her and Mizuki, as much as he wanted to Kakashi couldn't continue being involved. The Sandaime needed him out on a couple more missions while she recuperated. He learned some of what happened later. The Sandaime caught him up when Naruto was assigned to his newest genin team.

Kakashi learned Iruka was released from the hospital after an overnight stay, but Naruto stayed longer. Iruka was in charge of assigning the genin teams and debriefing them before turning them over to their jounin sensei. Because of Mizuki, the Sandaime had to give the genins an additional week off. This delay gave Naruto a chance to recuperate and share what happened. She had to undergo therapy for some time after the incident and Kakashi kept certain days clear for her during those early days of Team 7.

Until tonight, he never knew exactly what Mizuki had done to her and thought therapy was merely a formality inflicted by the Sandaime. By all appearances, Naruto seemed okay, behaving normally. He wasn't aware of the lasting trauma the traitor inflicted. He did have his suspicions, but assumed they were accumulated from experiences over her lifetime.

Thinking back, he recalls she had a subtle wariness of the rest of Team 7, especially towards him. Naruto may not always be good at reading underneath the underneath, but the girl knew how to bury herself under many layers.

Mentally kicking himself, Kakashi sees all the subtle signs he easily dismissed at the time as being part of a quirky, outspoken, attention seeking personality, particularly during the first few days of that infamous escort mission of the bridge builder Tazuna.

Naruto kept her distance physically from everyone. While he, Sasuke and Sakura stayed close to the client, Naruto walked ahead or behind the group. Never did she walk or stand close to them except when they were attacked or there was a team meeting. She was always the first to volunteer for the first watch when they'd camp.

He recalls noticing how tired she appeared. When he asked her, she brushed it off saying she's too excited being on her first big mission to sleep right. Berating himself, Kakashi realizes he shouldn't have let it go at that. He assumed that since she was so outgoing, if she had any personal issues, she'd let him know.

With some reluctance, he realizes she couldn't have come to him. She had little difficulty interacting with her two teammates. Nor did she have any problem being alone with them even if she was watchful around them.

Yet, she gave Tazuna and himself a wider berth and always seemed uncomfortable around them, either individually or together. Kakashi knows he didn't exactly make himself very approachable. Hell, he was still adjusting to having a team for the first time ever. Besides, Tazuna may have been a grandfather, but the old man was a crotchety old bastard.

However, as their jounin sensei, and main proponent of looking underneath the underneath, he reluctantly admits he failed miserably with her. It's clear now she wasn't ready for the mission. Not in the sense of being in constant, close proximity to people she hadn't started trusting yet. She wasn't sleeping well because she was scared to lower her guard and kept her distance as they traveled in case she had to make a break for it if attacked by anyone in their group.

Putting all the pieces together, Kakashi is surprised Naruto didn't suffer a nervous breakdown. He wonders if her freezing up during the Demon brother's attack was because she was somehow reminded of her two abductions. Yet, she pulled herself together to convince him to continue the mission. He is especially impressed at how well she handled their first encounter with Zabuza. Perhaps all of them pulling together to fend him off the first time may have finally convinced her they were a team and she could trust them somewhat. Afterwards, she seemed more relaxed around everyone, especially him.

Looking down at the redhead's peacefully sleeping form, Kakashi wonders how scared she was of him during those early days. Because his hair is silver like Mizuki's, was she reminded of the bastard every time she looked at him? If so, it must've been truly hellish to see him every day during training and missions.

Kakashi can't help but be impressed at her tenacity and bravery facing him like that and pulling her weight to make the team successful. He simply failed to truly appreciate how extraordinary she is because no one else would've been able to survive and adapt like she has.

Yet, never in a million years would he have guessed she wanted to give up on becoming a shinobi for any reason. If anyone else told him that, he would've hit the floor laughing. However, she revealed that painful, closely guarded secret herself and only because she knew he wouldn't let it go this time. He can't reconcile that notion with what he's always known about Naruto.

At least, he thought he knew her.

Whether he has any culpability or not, he feels guilty for everything she has endured. Anyone else in her shoes would've broken, yet she perseveres and thrives. Reluctantly, he admits he shouldn't be surprised she has moments of self-doubt. He also wonders how many other dark memories haunt her dreams.

As if in response to his silent musings, Naruto shifts in her sleep. Her brow furrows as her incoherent mumbling increases in volume. Shifting onto his side, Kakashi alternates between gently combing his fingers through her hair and caressing her cheek, repeatedly murmuring in soothing tones she's safe and to relax. After a couple of tense minutes, Naruto calms down with a heartfelt sigh and drifts back into a deep sleep. He continues tangling his fingers in her hair, watching her breathe in and out softly for a little while longer before settling back onto the sofa.

Deciding he needs to pay Iruka a visit in the morning, Kakashi finally drifts off to sleep.


	12. New Realizations: Chapter 12

Kakashi opens his eyes as the soft blue and pink hues of the morning seep into the living room. Easing onto an elbow, he glances down at a soundly slumbering Naruto. Spending a few minutes watching her torso rise and fall with her breathing, he determines she's resting peacefully and carefully climbs off the sofa to head into the bathroom. It isn't long before he's out the door racing across rooftops in the cool morning air.

He vaguely notes it's still early, but knows chances are good Iruka is awake by now. Unless Yugao stayed over last night, which, in that case, things will certainly become very interesting when he knocks on Iruka's door.

Whether that's in a good or bad way, he has no idea.

Reaching Iruka's home, Kakashi waits patiently after knocking. Looking around, he smiles at the motley assortment of plants decorating the small porch area. He remembers they were Naruto's housewarming gift when Iruka bought the place.

White sheets or towels cover the more sensitive plants to protect them from the overnight frost and cold. The fact the covers haven't been removed for the day indicate Iruka isn't up yet. That, combined with the surly, tired-looking tokubetsu jounin's rumpled; shirtless appearance when he answers the door proves Yugao definitely stayed the night.

Kakashi considers teasing the younger man, but his desire for answers reins in his internal mischief gremlins.

"Sorry for disturbing you so early, Iruka, but I need to talk to you about Naruto."

Something in Kakashi's tone wakes Iruka up immediately. "What's wrong? Is she okay? Where is she?"

Raising his hands to stave off further questions, Kakashi sooths, "Nothing's wrong and she's fine back at the apartment. But I have some questions about her that need answers."

Arching a brow in confusion, Iruka steps aside and gestures him inside. "Make yourself comfortable in the living room while I change."

Nodding, Kakashi settles down on the sofa. A few minutes later a properly dressed Iruka reappears from a hallway.

"Would you like some tea, Kakashi?"

"Sure," Kakashi accepts, joining him in the kitchen.

"What's on your mind?" Iruka asks, while making the tea.

Kakashi's reply is cut off when an irritable looking Yugao enters the kitchen, glaring daggers.

"Sorry, Yugao. I have a good reason for being here so early."

"It's about Naruto," Iruka explains, setting down a cup of tea onto the table and gesturing for her to sit.

Still giving Kakashi the evil eye, Yugao huffs in irritation and settles into the chair. Iruka gives Kakashi his cup before sitting down with his own tea.

As they sip their tea, Kakashi explains what happened yesterday with Naruto. When he's finished, Iruka wears a dark expression while Yugao looks stunned at the revelations.

"Shit," she mutters in shock. "I didn't know all that happened. I was on the ANBU retrieval team, but Iruka and I weren't dating at the time."

"And I wouldn't have been able to tell you much anyway once your part of the mission was complete and the Sandaime classified the incident," Iruka points out, gently grasping her hand.

"I wonder how soon I can get assigned to prison guard detail again," Yugao mutters, as her expression turns murderous.

Kakashi chuckles darkly, "Nice idea, but remember how Naruto feels about revenge on her behalf."

"Yeah," Iruka sighs heavily. "It'd be no less than what Mizuki deserves, but that would just upset her more. As it was, it took her a long time to recover from that incident."

"Sounds like there's a 'but' hidden in there," Kakashi eyes Iruka shrewdly.

Sighing again, Iruka nods. "Naruto never really recovered because she was never the same afterwards."

"Naruto mentioned that herself," Kakashi nods. "What I want to know is what else she hasn't shared yet."

Yugao looks between them confused. "What do you mean? It sounds like we have the entire story now."

"I've learned the hard way that as much as I think I know Naruto, I don't," Kakashi states. "She's that good at hiding her true feelings."

"The only reason I'm so good at picking up on what's going on is because I've known her longer than anyone, before she got so good at hiding," Iruka explains. "Otherwise I'd be in the same boat as everyone else. Sometimes I'd spend weeks trying to get her to open up, wearing her down until she broke. I hated doing that, but it was the only way to get her to share with me."

Yugao gapes in shock. "Wait! Naruto practically worships you! I thought she told you everything and anything."

Iruka shakes his head. "Remember, Naruto had no one to confide in growing up. She caught onto how hard the Third was on himself whenever she was attacked or treated poorly before he was finally able to stop the abuse. So, she started hiding things from him. She felt she was being a burden by bothering him with her crap."

Appalled Yugao opens her mouth to protest before Kakashi cuts her off. "Naruto pretty much said the same thing."

Iruka nods. "To a certain extent, Naruto believes she deserves everything that has happened. She thinks maybe if she was a better student, or stronger, or pulled less pranks the villagers would've treated her better. The worst one is when she thinks if she died after the sealing everyone would've been happier."

Yugao and Kakashi stare at him incredulously, eliciting a shrug. "Nothing to date has really convinced her otherwise has it?"

Reluctantly both agree.

"As hard as Naruto pushes herself to succeed," Iruka continues, "There is always a nagging doubt she is never good enough. Unfortunately, there have been enough incidents to feed into that belief. Like the numerous failures to retrieve Sasuke."

Kakashi stares at Iruka in shock before narrowing his eye. "She knows damn well we all share in those failures."

"Yes," Iruka agrees. "But Naruto swore to bring Sasuke back, first as a promise to Sakura then as a personal promise. And every failed attempt she took personally. More reminders of how weak she was. Despite growing, she still felt she was way behind Sasuke without any hope of ever catching up. It wasn't until they squared off this last time that she finally thinks she might be good enough."

Yugao joins Kakashi in gaping at Iruka before asking, "Might be good enough? Hell, Naruto could go toe to toe with the worst of the Akatsuki as far as I'm concerned."

Iruka smiles at her fondly. "But Naruto didn't really believe it until she got Sasuke to surrender. Even afterward she still wonders if he continued resisting if she would've been the one to come out on top." Pausing to take a deep breath, he adds, "Much of her doubt started when Mizuki attacked her. That traitor did more damage than any villager."

Iruka pauses to pin his gaze on Kakashi, remembering this is what he came for. "Naruto really should be the one telling you this. I can see she's finally starting to open up to you more, but I know better. She'll only do that when she has to. Maybe together we can somehow figure out a way to help her."

Finishing off his tea, Iruka sets his cup down before speaking. "After rescuing her from Mizuki and returning to the village, Naruto completely closed off. It was different than the first time she'd been kidnapped. Then I had to stay with her the entire time she was hospitalized and she'd panic if the medics asked me to leave the room even for a minute. It gradually eased up once she started feeling safe again. Even so, I brought her home to live with me for a short time. I tried adopting her, but the idiots on the council wouldn't allow it. However, she did start opening up to me and I kept the Third better informed about her wellbeing."

"The differences with Mizuki's attack were painfully obvious," Iruka continues solemnly. "Naruto often refused any and all company, even mine. She became stoic and extra vigilant. Whenever anyone entered her hospital room, it didn't matter if it was a medic who'd seen her the whole time or the Third himself, her eyes never left them for a moment. The Third had to order her ANBU guards to hide outside the room because somehow she sensed they were inside watching and she refused to relax her guard and rest. When it was time to report to the Third what happened, it was very succinct. She left out a lot of details. Knowing there was more to her story, the Third tried coaxing more out of her, but she proved to be quite adept at being evasive."

Pausing, Iruka takes a deep breath, preparing himself mentally for what he's about to reveal next to Kakashi and Yugao.

"The Third knew she left a lot out because she didn't say anything about Mizuki molesting her. It wasn't until he revealed he witnessed it that she admitted to it. That's when he knew for certain something was wrong. She was emotionless and detached, coming off as unaffected by what Mizuki did. The Third pressed for more details, but whenever she got to any part that was particularly traumatic she became colder."

Taking a moment to sip his tea while Kakashi and Yugao absorb his words, Iruka continues. "Naruto must've been horrified witnessing the other girls being killed when they didn't sell. Yet she treated it like she was discussing the weather. She acted the same way when reporting about Mizuki attempting to rape her with a kunai after he escaped with her from the slave market. The Third asked why she was behaving that way and she told him she was only efficiently reporting the facts as any proper shinobi should."

"Our concern grew when Naruto continued acting dispassionate about anything," Iruka sighs wearily. "She wasn't nagging to be released from the hospital or complaining of boredom. She didn't seem to care one way or another. I'd visit her in the hospital and the moment I brought up the attack and kidnapping, she was suddenly tired and would settle down into bed clearly hinting for me to leave.

Pausing briefly in thought, he quietly adds, "I was floored at how indifferent she was when I said she graduated and presented her with the hitai-ate."

Flabbergasted Yugao sputters, "I would've thought Naruto would've been jumping for joy and tackling you with a hug!"

"She protested it," Iruka replies, shaking his head sadly at Yugao and Kakashi's stunned expressions. "She said even making so many kage bunshin wasn't enough. She was too much of a liability out in the field and I was right to fail her the first time. She felt it might be better if she went back to the academy."

Yugao continues gaping in shock while Kakashi sighs in resignation. Part of him hoped he'd heard Naruto wrong, but Iruka has confirmed everything so far.

"Naruto kept us at arms length during the rest of her stay in the hospital," Iruka continues. "Eventually she accepted the headband and started acting normal, but we weren't fooled. She was only telling us what she thought we wanted to hear. The Third had the medics come up with as many excuses possible to keep her hospitalized while the counselors tried coaxing her to open up, but eventually they had to release her."

"As we suspected, Naruto went into hiding once she was released. She'd show up for her counseling, but would be hard to find any other time. She'd either give the therapists a hard time or say what they wanted to hear. It got so bad the Third had Inoichi step in and start working with her, but even he became frustrated by her stubbornness. I hated to see her suffer and kept after her until she finally yelled at me to stop bugging her because she didn't want to be a ninja anymore. She then ripped off her headband and threw it at me before running off."

Kakashi's eye widens in shock, finding it hard to wrap his mind around the image of Naruto behaving that way towards Iruka. Yet, he clearly sees the pain in the younger man's eyes confirming the truth.

Iruka takes another deep breath before continuing. "I spent the next couple of days trying to find Naruto. She even missed a counseling appointment. The Third was about to send out an ANBU squad to locate and detain her in the psyche ward at the hospital. That would destroy her, but the Third had to do what was necessary to keep her seal from failing. I looked everywhere, but eventually found her coming out of the forest. I should've taken her straight to the Third, but decided to make one last ditch effort to get her to talk."

Iruka shrugs, "If it didn't work, the Third was likely to pull her off Team 7 and have her committed. So, I suggested ramen. She was hesitant, but couldn't come up with a good excuse not to go. Naruto wasn't comfortable at the ramen stand because of the crowds passing by outside, so we went into the woods surrounding the park for some privacy. We ended up in a small clearing with a nice 360-degree view of the woods surrounding us. The area seemed to be a good spot as Naruto appeared more relaxed than I had seen her in days. I could tell she was still wound tight because I finished my bowl long before she got halfway through hers."

Yugao notices Kakashi staring at Iruka in stunned shock. "Why are you looking so surprised, sempai?"

"You must not eat much ramen with Naruto," Kakashi arches a brow. "She can inhale a bowl before you can blink. For her to eat that slow is unheard of and is a known signal of the start of the apocalypse."

"Exactly," Iruka chuckles and nods in agreement before continuing. "I reassured Naruto that I was there to listen if she needed it and she more than earned the right to wear the leaf symbol. I was proud of how well she handled herself throughout Mizuki's plot and apologized for not being there when she needed it. I explained that what Mizuki put her through is what shinobi are more likely to encounter on higher ranked missions. Even if she still doesn't become a ninja, she shouldn't let Mizuki win by allowing what he did to destroy her. She's a lot stronger than she thinks."

"That seemed to be the turning point," Iruka adds after a few minutes. "She broke down and admitted being scared of getting hurt again. Mizuki was someone she trusted, who else was going to turn on her? It took some time, but Naruto improved considerably after that. Although she recovered, thanks to Inoichi, she definitely lost her happy innocence. For years she struggled to change people's opinions of her, but believed she could do it until Mizuki nearly destroyed that confidence."

"The wariness she developed afterward was a good thing for her as a ninja. However, the self-doubt that sometimes surfaces tends to be destructive. We all know she has enemies waiting for the chance to take away everything she holds dear and would succeed if she gives up and doesn't fight to protect what's rightfully hers."

Silence stretches out between the trio as each became lost in thought over Iruka's tale.

"It's a good thing Mizuki is still locked up," Yugao comments first. "I'd hate to imagine what that would do to Naruto if he were to ever get out."

"It was Mizuki who instigated the prison break nearly a year later and it was Iruka and Naruto brought him back in," Kakashi points out.

"Shit," she curses softly, paling at the revelation. "Did bringing him back into custody at least give her some closure?"

Kakashi watches Iruka's expression as Yugao locks her gaze onto her lover. It's obvious that recapturing Mizuki was anything but an opportunity for closure. The mention of the prison break instigated a whirlwind of emotions in Iruka's eyes clearly indicating Naruto's second encounter with Mizuki was even worse.

Taking a deep breath Iruka apologizes. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything about it. Tsunade classified it, so unless she gives me authorization or Naruto shares it, I can't say a word. I wish I could because it's unlikely she'll ever talk about the second incident."

"I understand," Kakashi nods. Sighing heavily, he stands up. "Thank you for filling in the rest of the details about the first incident. I'm sorry for bothering you so early."

Iruka rises to walk him out. "That's okay. But if there's anything else I can do or if Naruto needs me, let me know."

Pausing at the front door, Kakashi turns to nod before disappearing from sight.

He debates on going to Tsunade to learn more about the second Mizuki incident. After bringing in the prisoners he had caught, she immediately sent him out on another mission, but not before he summoned Pakkun to help Iruka. The entire incident had been classified and, although, the pug could've told him what happened since he's not obligated to listen to Tsunade's commands, neither would violate her trust. Kakashi was content to leave well enough alone until now. Obviously there was a hell of a lot more to the second incident than he thought.

Sighing deeply as he walks back home, Kakashi decides there's no rush to find out more about. It's more important to check on Naruto.

By the time he returns home it's almost mid-morning. Scanning the living room, he notices Naruto is conspicuously absent. Evidence of her presence litters the kotatsu. He also senses her elsewhere in the apartment. Stepping over to the sofa, he settles onto it to resume his part of the deal.

He's certain Naruto won't mention the events of last night at all and pretend nothing happened. He's willing to play along for now, observing her closely and gathering more information. He'll find a way to help her, but doesn't want to wait until he accidentally triggers another flashback or nightmare.

Picking up a few pages, Kakashi shuffles through them noting Naruto completed the initial proofreading. Now she appears in midst of reworking the weak elements of the story.

Setting those pages aside, he picks up the stack he left off with last night and catches sight of an open book buried under several other loose pages. Easing the book out, he notices another closed book hidden underneath.

A silver brow arches at the title of the book still lying innocently on the table, 'The Art of Shattering Her World.' Returning his attention to the book in his hand, his brow hitches higher since it's titled, 'The Art of Blowing His Mind.'

Flipping through the pages he realizes the book in his hands is a 'how to' manual for performing oral sex on men. It not only provides detailed information of basic male anatomy, but also details oral strengthening exercises as well as demonstrating different types of blow jobs. There are detailed illustrations of each technique.

Intrigued by this latest discovery, Kakashi glances back down at the book on the table, 'The Art of Shattering Her World.' Reaching down, he flips through it, noting it's written by the same author, but the focus is performing oral sex on women.

Replacing 'The Art of Blowing His Mind' back on the table, he picks up the other book and stretches out on the sofa and begins reading 'The Art of Shattering Her World.'

* * *

Not long after Kakashi left for Iruka's home, Naruto wakes up. Rubbing the kink in her neck, she sits up and is surprised she's in the living room. Within moments her face flushes as the memories from the night before come rushing back. Groaning in dismay, she rubs her face, remembering she told Kakashi about the Forbidden Scroll incident. He now knows more than she ever wanted him to know about the entire mess and is likely to become a bigger, more annoying mother hen.

She's grateful he has no clue about what really happened during Mizuki's prison break. Pakkun assured her Kakashi never asked him and he never volunteered the information. She'd feel even better about it if she could get the little rodent to promise to never tell him, but he adamantly refuses. She supposes it could be worse. Without a reason to spark his curiosity, Kakashi is likely to never look into it. Besides, it's classified and Baa-chan has no reason to tell him about it anyway.

Glancing behind her at the empty sofa, Naruto figures Kakashi must've left earlier. Long used to him disappearing without a word, she decides to get something to eat before tackling the draft again. Climbing to her feet, she heads to the bathroom to wash up before heading into the kitchen make a simple breakfast. Within an hour she's settled back at the kotatsu.

It doesn't take long to finish correcting Jiraiya's spelling and grammatical errors and begin the tedious task of improving his manuscript. Once in awhile the old pervert will get really inspired and she doesn't have to do much. More often than not, though, he's lazy and doesn't even try to be interesting with the sex scenes. Unfortunately, this appears to be one of those times where he slapped down whatever came to mind.

Eventually she has to resort to using her reference books to get ideas on how to spice up the sex scenes. She really hopes today is one of those days where Kakashi is gone for hours. She's glad he finally realizes what she has been saying all along about these books being boring, so maybe he'll revert to habit and shirk his responsibilities instead of helping her. It's not that she's embarrassed having books about how to improve your sex life; she just doesn't want to be teased by her former sensei over them.

Just in case he returns early she only brings out two of her smaller books. They both focus on oral sex, but she thinks they'll give her enough ideas. Plus, they're thin enough to hide if Kakashi walks in on her.

However, by the fifth sex scene the two books aren't enough, so she retrieves another book called, 'The Last Word on Sex' from her room. It's more comprehensive than the other books. Not only does it go over basic male and female anatomy of the sex organs, but it also offers instruction and demonstrations of various sexual positions. What Naruto really likes about this particular book is the chapters covering flirting, sex and pregnancy, masturbation and sexual fantasies. It gives her more reference material to offset whenever Ero-sennin is being ridiculously unrealistic in his writing.

Since 'The Last Word on Sex' was written by a sex therapist there are case studies included addressing the social, cultural and personal hang-ups people have towards sex. Naruto finds the case studies interesting and sometimes engages Ino in conversations about them.

After getting the book, Naruto walks back into the living room and into her worst nightmare.

Sitting on the sofa engrossed in reading 'The Art of Shattering Her World' is Kakashi. Taking a deep, calming breath to keep from panicking she considers her options. The man can smell fear and will sadistically use it against her. It's better to go in nonchalantly and feign indifference because he'll take shameless advantage of any hint of embarrassment

Tucking the book close against her body so he can't see the cover, she casually enters the room.

"Good mornin', Kakashi," she greets cheerfully.

"Morning, Naruto," he greets back, briefly glancing up from the book as she settles back down at the kotatsu.

Discreetly sliding the book under the remaining book on the table, Naruto comments, "I'm surprised you're back already."

Kakashi grins, not missing a single detail of her behavior. He noticed her hesitation when she came in and how she tried hiding the cover of the book she carried.

"You almost sound disappointed I returned early," he comments lightly, continuing to read the book in his hands.

"Whenever you take off without a word, you'll be gone for hours on end. It's unusual for you to be back so early."

"I promised to help you edit," he replies, waving off her comment. "Besides, I still haven't made it to the end."

"I've already finished the initial editing," she states over her shoulder, pointedly ignoring the book in his hands. "I got as far as the first few chapters in the second go round, so you can look those over to catch any mistakes we may have missed the first time and see if the changes I'm making are working or not."

Kakashi knows Naruto is attempting a sort of feeble reverse psychology. Like he's not gonna tease the hell out of her just because she's acting nonchalant about him discovering her 'how to' sex books. He has to admit, though, the book in his hands is actually very interesting and he's definitely learning a thing or two. Maybe he won't tease her too badly or she won't lend it to him later.

Deciding to play along, Kakashi closes the book, but tucks it into the space between himself and the back of the sofa. Reaching over, he grabs the chapters Naruto indicated and starts reading.

She's surprised when he starts editing again, but is dismayed he still hung on to the book. That means he's only biding his time. Bastard.

Refocusing on her work, she becomes so engrossed she forgets he's even in the same room. Without thinking, she pulls out 'The Last Word on Sex' and flips to the page she needs and begins reading for ideas to improve the current scene.

Kakashi has to admit, she significantly improved the early chapters, especially the sex scenes. He wonders if he reread Jiraiya's books prior to Naruto training with him for those two and a half years if he can tell when she started editing for him. He's fairly certain he'll notice a significant difference in the quality. Granted, she was only a naïve teenager then, but considering Jiraiya's writing skills, she probably still made a great deal of improvement.

Glancing over her shoulder his eyebrow rose when his eye fell onto the open page in front of her. The book is obviously another sex tome, but instead of illustrations, this one has photographs with couples demonstrating various positions. The title of the chapter printed at the top of the page says it all, 'Fantasy Role-playing.'

Leaning in closer to peer over her shoulder for a better view, he breaks the silence.

"Interesting book."

Naruto nearly jumps out of her skin at his husky voice breathing in her ear.

"I didn't know you had such a vivid collection of books," he continues before she can reply. He watches her flush a nice shade of red before adding, "It's funny how you used call me and my Icha Icha books perverted considering your current choice of reading materials."

Embarrassment quickly morphs to outrage as Naruto turns to glare over her shoulder.

"Your age is showing 'cause your memory is slipping," she snipes. "You're confusing me with Sakura because I never called you or Ero-sennin's books perverted. Boring, yeah, but not perverted."

Straightening up, Kakashi thinks about it. "True, but you do call Jiraiya, 'Ero-sennin.'"

"Yeah 'cause he is one. And he calls himself a 'mega perv' too."

"Jiraiya is eccentric," he points out. Crossing his arms, he asks out of curiosity, "But how does his writing the Icha Icha books make him a pervert?"

"He's not a pervert for writing the books," Naruto replies, rolling her eyes. "He's a pervert because of how he gets his inspiration."

At Kakashi's confused expression she sighs and explains further with a slight hint of condescension in her voice. "Okay. The dictionary defines 'pervert' as distorting the generally accepted and original meaning of something. No one's a pervert if they read the Icha Icha books. Doesn't matter if the sex in a book is straight or gay 'cause it's still what most people consider normal and acceptable. If the books had bestiality, for example, then yeah, that's perverted because that isn't considered normal sexual behavior."

A look of disgust crosses Kakashi's features before nodding in agreement.

"Ero-sennin doesn't use his imagination or draw on his own sexual experiences. Nope, he's gotta spy on women when they're in the bathhouse." Propping her elbow on the table, she rests the side of her chin on her fist, asking, "C'mon how can _that_ be visually inspiring? 'Cause even if the steam doesn't obscure the view, all the women are doing is soaking. Plus, disregarding size, shape and, most importantly, age there isn't a whole lot of variety among women's bodies, right?"

Kakashi is stumped for an answer.

"Exactly," Naruto nods at his silence. "What Ero-sennin is doing is eavesdropping on women's conversation and stealing material for his books. And he gets far too much enjoyment by doing that. So how can anyone consider that anything but perverted? He's no different than the proverbial creepy guy wandering the streets in a trench coat and flashing women."

"That's stretching your point just a bit, Naruto."

"Nuh-uh," Naruto shakes her head. "You wanna know how I got Ero-sennin to train me for the finals of Team 7's first chuunin exams?" At Kakashi's nod she replies, "With my Sexy no Jutsu. But it backfired as the old fart said he'd only train me if I'd stay in that form. I got him to back off of that stipulation, but he'd blackmail me into using it once in a while in exchange for training. So, Ero-sennin's antics are not normal sexual behavior, ergo he's a pervert," she finishes definitively.

Kakashi is stunned by Naruto's revelation about his favorite author and more than a little ticked at the man. He's certain that if Minato-sensei were still alive, Jiraiya wouldn't be once the man learned what he made his little girl do to get the training he promised to give her anyway.

The new book catches his eye again. Reaching down he picks it up and leafs through the pages.

"The books are interesting, but not as imaginative as the Icha Icha books," he muses.

Naruto glares and growls, "They're mainly for reference."

Arching a brow, Kakashi asks, "Don't you have you own experiences to draw on?"

Her blush deepens further, as she snaps, "With as many Icha Icha Ero-sennin cranks out, any experiences I'd have wouldn't be enough to liven up his boring, run-of-the-mill sex scenes!"

"True," Kakashi agrees, cocking his head slightly. "I'm picking up a thing or two from these books for future reference."

He didn't think it was possible, but Naruto's blush deepens further as she groans and covers her face with her hands, muttering, "Too much information!"

"What? Do you think I lead a celibate life?" he asks, nonplussed.

Naruto spreads the fingers of one hand slightly to reveal a glaring blue orb.

"I know you're experienced," her muffled voice struggles to explain, "But for me to think of you…hell, any of my friends…_like that_…is hard! I have a hard time listening whenever the girls get together and start swapping stories!"

Intrigued, it's Kakashi's turn to prop an elbow on his knee to rest his chin on his fist. "Why does that make you uncomfortable?"

Sighing in exasperation, she drops her hands from her face. "Besides it being none of my business, I just can't even begin to picture anyone I know like that. Even if I wanted to. Which I _don't_," she adds hastily at his arched brow.

Seeking clarification, Kakashi asks, "You have a problem, then, imagining Iruka and Yugao having sex?"

Naruto quickly covers her face again, groaning, "Shut up!"

"They _are_ in a normal, healthy relationship," he chuckles. "So it stands to reason they're having sex, you know."

Covering her ears she cries, "Stop! You're scarring me for life! Bad mental images, bad!"

Recovering slightly she glares again. "Thinking of my big brother and newly adopted big sister like that is just wrong on so many levels. That's kinda like one time when all the rookies started sharing stories of their parents having sex. Since I never had parents the others had to explain why no one likes to think of their parents having sex and why it's even worse to walk in on them." Grimacing Naruto adds, "After hearing all that, I have to agree."

Snatching the 'The Last Word on Sex' out of his hands in annoyance she reaches across him with her other hand and grabs 'The Art of Shattering Her World' and shoves it into his hands.

"Read," she orders. "You might learn something useful."

Turning back to the kotatsu to resume her work, Kakashi leans in and seductively whispers in her ear, "It's hard to know if what you learned is useful without trying it, isn't it?"

He chuckles evilly at the new flush spreading across her face. Naruto jabs a hard elbow into his chest, sending the cushion he swapped with slamming back into the sofa. She glares at a still chuckling Kakashi as he strolls into the kitchen area across the room to make something to eat since he hasn't had breakfast yet.

They spend the rest of the day making great progress on Jiraiya's manuscript. Kakashi notes Naruto's control over her temper has come a long way since she was a genin because she manages not to rise to his periodic comments. Every so often he mutters about which book she got a particular sex act from or how inventive her changes are. Even if she didn't try to kill him outright, it's a lot of fun to see her blush rise and fall to varying degrees.

"I'm impressed at how much you improved on Jiraiya's work, Naruto," Kakashi states at one point. "Why don't you have co-writing credit?"

"As if," the redhead snorts without looking at him. "That perverted old Scrooge would never share the credit because it'd mean he'd have to admit he's not as great a writer as he thinks he is. Though, it really has more to do with having to share the royalties if he gives me credit."

"You help him improve his writing," Kakashi frowns as she continues working. "You should be compensated for your efforts."

Still not looking at him, she explains, "Nothing I'd do will get him to acknowledge my efforts. If I refuse to edit, the next time he has a deadline he'll beg and whine constantly. He becomes such a nuisance I have no choice but to give in. But I do use it to my advantage whenever I need him to do something. That's how I got him to stop blackmailing me into using the Sexy no Jutsu."

Kakashi doesn't answer. He merely shakes his head in amusement at her cunning deviousness. No one else could turn a blackmail situation to their advantage like she can.

Not having forgotten yesterday, Kakashi keeps a close eye on the redhead. Editing seems to be enough of a distraction since she's obviously not dwelling on what happened.

As they work, he voices another thought that occurs to him. "Naruto, how is it that you aren't affected by enhancing Jiraiya's work? You've been rather _creative_ in improving the sex scenes. However, it's obvious Jiraiya gets nosebleeds from just writing these stories despite his scenes being mediocre so far."

"Noticed the faded brown stains on the pages, did ya?" Naruto grins over her shoulder.

"Hard not to," Kakashi dryly mutters. "Anyway, I'd almost think you were a prude for not becoming the slightest bit aroused by this stuff if it weren't for the fact you're coming up with some very good material."

She surprises him by not getting embarrassed or defensive, but rolls her eyes instead.

"Reading and writing about these things is one thing, but doing them is probably a lot more fun. And just because I'm not as worldly as other people doesn't mean I lack imagination and don't understand the emotions going on. It's not hard to make something more interesting if you put your mind to it. I just don't get caught up in the fantasy 'cause that's all it is. I've learned the hard way that fantasy never lives up to reality. So, why get all worked up writing a fictional sex scene?"

"True," Kakashi agrees after a couple of minutes.

Eventually Kakashi starts making suggestions as well. It gets to the point he is annoying Naruto because he keeps interrupting her.

"Why don't you just go ahead and add your ideas to the draft and quit bugging me!" she finally snaps.

Unperturbed by her irritation, he asks, "Are you sure you don't want to okay them first?"

Taking a deep, calming breath, she growls in exasperation, "Have I rejected any of your suggestions so far?"

He blinked at her, realizing she hasn't.

"Exactly," she nods. "Add what you think will work. You've read the damn books for years, no one's gonna know better than you what will work and what won't."

Kakashi is surprised at the little ego boost her comments give him. He's happy to learn she trusts his changes without question or comment.

By early-afternoon they're three quarters of the way through the book. While reading one of the sex scenes Naruto fixed, Kakashi comes up with a possible change to make it even more interesting. However, he can't figure out the wording to make it fit the choreography of the scene.

After struggling for several minutes, he contemplates dropping it out of frustration until he glances down at the back of Naruto's head. A devious thought crosses his mind; he can figure it out if they pose for the suggestion themselves. It should be funny to see her reaction. She might kill him or go along with it thinking the suggestion might be worth the embarrassment she'll endure. Mostly, he's just curious to see if she'll go along with it.

Without looking up from the page he's reading, Kakashi comments, "You did a great job with the castle sex scene."

Sensing a 'but,' Naruto pauses to glance over her shoulder.

Meeting her gaze, he adds, "I have an idea. It's different, but I'm not sure how to phrase it."

Unsure what he's asking, her brow furrows slightly in confusion.

"I might be able to figure it out if I pose for it, but I'm going to need your help," he states innocently.

A bright flush spreads across her face as the full scope of his suggestion sinks in. Regaining some of her composure she narrows her eyes and asks, "How risqué is this pose?"

As if pointing out the obvious, Kakashi states, "It's for a sex scene."

Her flush intensifies as she growls, "Smartass. I mean, how acrobatic is this particular pose?"

Inwardly enjoying her discomfort, he replies, "It doesn't involve hanging from the ceiling, if that's what you mean."

Knowing he was being deliberately obtuse, she snaps, "Does it involve any removal of clothing, jackass?"

"Now who's being risqué," he retorts airily.

"As if," she snorts derisively. "If I don't clarify you'd say it's important to doff our clothes at the last minute just to embarrass me."

"Sounds like a no," he looks at her drolly.

"I didn't say that," she points out with an arched brow. "If we need to pose for the position so you can figure out how to write it, fine. I just want to know what it entails."

Kakashi feigns surprise at how quickly she agreed while inwardly cackling.

Buying his phony reaction, Naruto rolls her eyes and sighs, "If Ero-sennin's books are dropped because they got stale then he'll have more free time to be a royal pain in the ass. I'd rather see him occupied with writing."

"True, he doesn't have any other hobbies," Kakashi chuckles in agreement as he gets up from the sofa.

Reaching for her hand, he helps her up and guides her over to the open area between the living room and dining/kitchen area. Grabbing her shoulders he spins her around so she's standing right in front of him with her back to him.

"Bend over," he instructs.

Glancing over her shoulder, she frowns at him in confusion.

"Bend over," he repeats.

Shrugging she bends her body in half, reaching down for her toes.

"Keeping your legs straight then place your palms on the floor and walk your hands forward a couple of paces," when she moves her hands forward, he continues encouraging her. "That's it, a couple more, okay, now stop."

She is on all fours, but instead of her torso being horizontal to the floor, her body is positioned like a triangle.

"This is getting kinda weird," she mutters. "How this is supposed to improve the scene?"

"We're not in the pose yet."

Still standing close behind her, but without his body touching hers he instructs, "Now lift your left leg and hook it around behind my waist." When her leg is in position, he adds, "This is the pose."

From her awkward position she glances up at him over her shoulder and her face lights up. "It's a great suggestion! It's perfect for that scene! But the guy has to be right up against the girl 'cause it's a little hard to keep balanced like this."

To emphasize her point she tightens her leg around him, bringing his groin right up against her butt. Kakashi is starting to feel a bit uncomfortable with as certain parts of his body are stirring to life.

"It'd be even better if I do this!" she cries excitedly as she hooks her right leg around his waist, effectively trapping him against her with only her hands supporting her. "Okay, this is good, but the guy will have to use his hands to support and stabilize the girl or it just won't work."

To demonstrate she twists around slightly, supporting herself with her left hand she reaches up to grab Kakashi's right hand to place it firmly against her hip. Switching hands she repeats the motion, placing his left hand on her other hip.

Due to his increasing discomfort he tries moving away slightly to put a little space between them. Naruto gets annoyed and clenches her legs bringing him right back against her.

"Knock it off, Kakashi," she scolds. "The damn position is hard enough to hold without you fidgeting all over the place." Becoming excited again, she adds, "It's a great idea and it's perfect for the castle scene!"

Finally releasing him, her legs drop to the floor. Instantly she straightens up and hurries over to the kotatsu, snatching up the pages he's working on. She shuffles through them until she finds the right spot.

"I'm just going to go ahead and jot it down because I've got a pretty good idea how to word it. Then you can re-read it and see how it works for the whole scene."

She's so intent on writing out the changes she doesn't notice Kakashi silently leave the room and enter the bathroom.

After softly shutting the door, Kakashi closes his eye and leans against it releasing a long, slow breath.

Ignoring the discomfort in his pants he opens his eye and walks over to the sink. Removing his headband and mask he opens the spigot to splash cold water on his face. Glancing up at his dripping visage in the mirror he squeezes his eyes shut with a groan as mental images of him and Naruto as the couple in the sex scene they just improved fills his thoughts.

Realizing there's only one way to solve his current predicament, Kakashi turns off the water and grabs a clean washcloth off the shelf. Stepping over to the open wall space between the sink and the toilet, he loosens his pants and with a relieved sigh pulls out his painfully erect member. Leaning forward he rests his forehead on his forearm against the wall while gripping himself with his free hand.

Slowly but firmly he begins stroking himself up along his length. His breaths keep time with the rhythm of his hand and thrusting pelvis as he gradually increases his speed and pressure. He squeezes his eyes shut when the image of Naruto under him as they make love slams into his mind unbidden and he finally goes over the edge with a soft grunt. Keeping his eyes closed his body trembles slightly as he rides out the waves of self-pleasure while still cradling himself in one hand.

After a few minutes he opens his eyes with a relieved sigh, readjusts his pants and cleans up the mess he made against the wall with the washcloth. Keeping up appearances, he flushes the toilet before rinsing the towel off and tossing it into the hamper. He replaces his headband and mask before leaving the sanctuary of the bathroom.

He returns to the living room where Naruto is still deeply engrossed in the draft.

Without looking up she asks, "Hey, Kakashi, in the castle sex scene would it be better if the princess still has her dress on? Some people find it sexier to do the deed clothed. Or is that too much?"

Taking a deep breath and utilizing all his self-control to keep from turning around and going back into the bathroom Kakashi says, "Clothed."

"Thanks," she cheerfully chirps as she jots it down.

Deciding it's a very bad idea to continue editing, Kakashi saunters towards the kitchen. "I'm going to make lunch."

Naruto finally looks up. "Need help?"

"No," he replies a little too quickly. Realizing his mistake he reasons, "You're running out of time if you want to send that to Jiraiya by this evening."

"All right," she reluctantly agrees. "I'll help if you need it."

With a forced smile he waves it off and quickly retreats into the kitchen.

The rest of the afternoon passes uneventfully and Naruto sends the draft to Jiraiya early that evening. She includes a scolding note pointing out he's lucky she was able to edit because she just got back from a mission yesterday. He might not be so lucky the next time he procrastinates.

After the toad poofs out, Naruto raises her arms above her head and stretches with an exaggerated groan.

Stretched out on the sofa Kakashi looks over the top of his book. "What do you plan to do the rest of the night now that the crisis has passed?"

"I'm going for a walk," she grins. "And probably stop by the teahouse. I've been stuck inside all day and need to air out or I'll get musty."

"Alone?"

"Yeah," she drawls as if stating the obvious. "Unless you need airing too."

With a sigh he closes his book and sits up.

Naruto rolls her eyes. "Knock it off. You don't have to come along. I'm not going out the immediate area and doubt my assassin is going to try anything. And it's too early to go to bed, so what else is there to do?"

"Read," Kakashi replies drolly.

Glaring Naruto snipes, "Gee, there's something I haven't done at all today."

Ignoring her sarcasm Kakashi states, "We should probably get going before it gets later."

Deciding it isn't worth arguing about, Naruto gets up to go change. It's not long before they are on their way to the teahouse.

They walk in companionable silence, neither feeling the need to make idle conversation. Both are content to enjoy the crisp night air and the brilliant expanse of stars dusting the entire sky.

As they approach the teahouse, Naruto is stunned when they encounter a familiar face.

"Fancy meeting you two here," Genma greets drolly.

"Hey, Genma," she greets warmly, stepping forward to kiss him on the mouth.

Her eyes widen in shock when he forcibly deepens the kiss.

Struggling slightly, she breaks the kiss asking, "What's that about?"

Still holding her close, he shrugs, "I missed you."

She gives him a lidded look. "I wasn't gone that long. Hell, you were on a mission too."

"Can't I greet my girlfriend with a kiss?" he asks.

Sighing in resignation she decides this isn't worth getting into a fight over.

"Never mind, you just startled me that's all." Promptly switching the subject, she asks, "Are you hanging out with the guys tonight?"

"I'm coming from shooting pool with them," Genma replies, jerking his head indicating the direction he just came from. "I decided to turn in early." Glancing between the two of them, he asks, "Where are you two heading?"

"We just spent all day editing Ero-sennin's next book," Naruto explains. "And I needed to get some air and tea. Want to join us for a bit before heading home?"

"Nah, I'm beat," Genma says. "Are you free tomorrow? The guys want to go shoot pool again."

"Sure," she nods, adding, "If we're at the Zodiac, and if you get bored with playing pool, most of the rookies will be there for the monthly social if you want some variety."

"Sounds good. I'm always up for torturing Kiba," Genma agrees. Leaning in he kisses her goodnight on the cheek. "I better head off. G'night you two."

"Goodnight, Genma," Kakashi says as Naruto waves.

Minutes later they settle in the teahouse. Kakashi doesn't break the contemplative silence until their order arrives.

"That was an interesting exchange."

Naruto is at first confused by his meaning until realization dawns on her. A dark look crosses her features as she mutters, "Genma's getting territorial again."

At his questioning look she explains further, "He never greets me that way and he seemed awfully tense. The surprising part is he isn't drunk, which may have been a good thing."

"If that's such a good thing, then why do you sound worried," Kakashi asks.

Sighing wearily, Naruto rubs her eyes. "It feels like the proverbial other shoe is about to drop and in a very nasty way."

Kakashi studies her for a moment before suggesting, "Maybe you shouldn't go out with Genma then."

She shrugs it off. "What happens, happens. 'Sides, if he fucks up again I'm going to personally determine how many senbon I can simultaneously stuff up his nose and asshole. Might even break a world record or something."

She joins Kakashi in chuckling over the mental image as they continue enjoying their tea.

* * *

_**Tokubetsu Jounin**_-Specialized high level ninja. Basically, the jounin specializes in a particular area instead of having a broader more generalized skill set.

_**Kotatsu**_-are low wooden tables where you're supposed to drape a blanket over before placing the tabletop on top. It's to retain the heat from a small space heater that's usually found underneath to keep you warm while you sit at the table. I'm using them in the context of a western coffee table for this story.

_**Ero-sennin**_-Pervy Sage

_**Senbon**_-longer versions of acupuncture needles that Genma uses as his trademark weapon.

'The Art of Shattering Her World', 'The Last Word on Sex' and 'The Art of Blowing His Mind' are based off of real books. I just merely changed the titles.

_**A/N**: Before anyone starts griping about Genma being an ass or I'm making Naruto too much of a doormat, know that I'm shooting for realism here. Where some women, myself included, wouldn't tolerate anymore after the first incident, there are seemingly confident women that do._

_My intention is ****NOT**** to pile the angst on Naruto. I'm following canon in regards that Naruto forgives and befriends almost anyone regardless of what they've done to him. He lets people beat on him (not just Sakura) if it makes them feel better._

_My version of Naruto in this story, as I've detailed in a previous chapter, is trying to get Genma to realize that it's okay to open his heart to care for someone. Genma, on the other hand, is bound and determined not to do that. It doesn't help that he works a high stress job (a tokubetsu jounin who often guards the Hokage), is very insecure and has a lot of pent up anger and resentment with no real outlet. A very bad combination, especially if he starts drinking._

_As I've said before, I like Genma and am not trying to make him a bad guy. Good men can have bad character traits. Smart, confident women can make lousy choices in their love lives._

_For all the success Naruto has had, like everyone, she's having a bad year here. She's ignored facing and dealing certain things too long and some of it has come back to bite her on the ass._

_I can't stop anyone from complaining about any of these things, but I won't address these anymore, either in my A/N's or in my replies to reviewers. I'm telling a story here and these are elements of my story I feel I'm being very clear on. I'm sorry if that upsets some readers as my intention is merely to entertain. Thank you again to all my readers as well as my legitimate reviewers._


	13. New Realizations: Chapter 13

Early mornings have never been Tsunade's favorite time of the day. It's an ungodly time typically spent preparing for some unpleasant task or event later in the day. Or it's a wasted opportunity to sleep off the fun from the night before.

Even if neither case is true, like today, she still detests presently sitting in her office, glaring at Sasuke and Sakura as they arrive on time to submit their written report detailing their part of the mission.

Without a word, the blonde accepts the proffered document from Sakura's hand and skims it.

As they wait, Sakura glances around the room.

"I'm surprised Naruto and Kakashi aren't here yet. It's par for the course with Kakashi, but she's always on time," she quietly comments.

"Why do you sound surprised?" Tsunade asks, not raising her eyes from the report. "This _is_ Kakashi we're talking about."

"Kakashi being late is typical, but not Naruto," Sakura retorts with a glare.

"I'm not," Tsunade waves off. "Naruto is still recovering from her hypothermia, which could still be messing with her system. Besides, as the senior of the two and captain of the mission, it's Kakashi's duty to write the report. And being this is Kakashi, I'll be lucky to get it before the week is out."

Sasuke snorts in agreement as Sakura grins.

"Looks like everything's in order," Tsunade declares, finally look up at the two before pinning her gaze on Sakura. "Today you have to report to hospital supply master to help with the annual inventory."

Smiling in sympathy at Sakura's groan, Tsunade continues, "I know. It's boring, but it has to be done and since no one can leave until it's complete you should go over there immediately to get started on it."

"Yes, shishou," Sakura sighs in resignation nods before leaving the office.

After Sakura leaves, Sasuke eyes Tsunade expectantly, waiting for her to dismiss him.

"Patience," she intones with a smirk. "I'm not done with you yet."

Quirking a brow, he silently wonders what tediously obnoxious task she has in store for him. He hides his surprise when Naruto and Kakashi enter the room moments later. Once Tsunade erects her privacy shield, she signals everyone it's in place.

Naruto promptly steps forward and hands in their report. Both Sasuke and Tsunade arch a brow in surprise.

"What?" she asks, wondering what their looks are for.

"Your report is on time, gaki."

"Yeah, of course," Naruto drawls in confusion.

"Not when Kakashi is involved," Tsunade retorts.

"Oh," the redhead replies in dawning realization.

Rolling his eye, Kakashi states, "She wrote the report."

Both Tsunade and Sasuke relax and nod in understanding.

"Your attitude is not encouraging me to turn in the reports sooner," Kakashi replies coolly.

"An exploding tag up your butt wouldn't get you to turn them in sooner," Sasuke snorts, earning a glare from the jounin and smirks from the other two women.

"All right," Tsunade interrupts. "Let's get down to business."

For Sasuke's benefit, she rehashes everything Naruto and Kakashi had gone over during their oral report, explaining the conclusions they've drawn before finally getting to the point.

After outlining the mission for Sasuke, she pins him with her steely gaze.

"Infiltrating Danzo may be even more dangerous than your time with Orochimaru. Let me make it very clear, I'm not ordering you to do this. This may be a golden opportunity to finally get someone inside Danzo's organization. However, now that he is our prime suspect in the massacre and in the attempts on Naruto's life, we may be able to obtain our proof against him by other means."

Everyone in the room remains silent, giving Sasuke a chance to think about it.

After a few minutes, he asks, "Aren't you concerned I may be tempted to switch to Danzo's side?"

Naruto snorts and rolls her eyes. "If that were the case, you'd have jumped ship at his first offer."

At Sasuke's incredulous look she smiles and shakes her head like it should be obvious.

"If it were only about revenge, you could've taken up Danzo's offer and annihilated the village from within. It would've been so easy it's not even funny. You obviously want to know the truth, which is why you've stuck with us through all the bullshit of completing your probation and becoming a chuunin. Then you survived the brain melting, tedious task of going through boring account records and dusty files."

Tsunade and Kakashi chuckle at her more than accurate description of their investigation. Even Sasuke can't help smirking.

"If you were so weak to be tempted and manipulated by Danzo," Naruto continues, jabbing a finger at him in emphasis. "Then you'd have already become Orochimaru's bitch and we wouldn't be having this conversation now would we? So, no, we aren't concerned."

Tsunade can't help laughing outright, commenting, "I can't wait until you becomes Hokage just to hear what kind of speeches you'll give to the council."

Naruto's only answer is a devious grin that sends a shiver down everyone's spine.

Taking control of the conversation again Tsunade informs Sasuke, "I'd rather not have you take this mission at all. It's not because you're the last Uchiha or because of your past. It's just too dangerous and I don't want to risk a valuable shinobi who has more than proven himself on attempting to capture a slick viper like Danzo."

Sasuke considers everything for several minutes. "I accept the mission," he finally states. "We are almost at the end of the investigation without much to show for it. Even if we find hard evidence, Danzo may easily maneuver his way out of it. Orochimaru was patient, but he'd get too caught up in his emotions when he thought he won and that's when he made his mistakes. Danzo's weakness lies in the fact he likely thinks himself untouchable and is overconfident in his ability to manipulate others." Pausing again in thought, he adds, "If this is the only way to get some real proof he was behind the murders, then so be it. I won't let Danzo continue getting away with his crimes."

Everyone stares at him in surprise before Naruto recovers enough to quip, "Maybe I ought to have Sasuke write all my speeches when I become Hokage."

Sharing her grin, Tsunade hands several folders to Sasuke. "These contain everything we have on Danzo and Root. It's not much more than an academy student can look up in a textbook. Unfortunately, Danzo that is good at covering his tracks. You are not to say anything about this mission to anyone except those in this room. Once you successfully infiltrate Danzo's organization he'll keep a very close eye on you, so expect your home to be bugged and someone following your every move."

Sasuke snorts, pointing out, "I already check for that stuff on a daily basis out of habit. Even if Danzo questions it, I'll just say I don't believe the Hokage trusts me and add it to my list of complaints against the village."

Tsunade smirks, saying, "Great way to play it. It's unlikely you'll be able to come and make regular reports to me, so you'll have to rely on Kakashi and Naruto to do it for you." Hardening her gaze, she emphasizes, "Under no circumstance are you to reveal any of this to Sakura."

"Why?" he asks in surprise.

Kakashi takes over to briefly explain the conclusions they've collectively drawn about Sakura.

"We aren't accusing her of anything," he points out, "But it's too risky right now to just dismiss our doubts."

Sasuke is stunned they all are suspicious of Sakura but after a moment's consideration he nods.

"It makes sense," he agrees. "I have no problem keeping Sakura in the dark about this, but that may be old prejudices influencing me. However, I always felt she was far too interested in things that weren't any of her business, which is why I didn't tell her about the receipt I found at Sakurogi's estate."

"That is one of the reasons we want to keep Sakura in the dark," Tsunade points out "At this stage of the game none of us can afford to take unnecessary chances." Golden eyes meet the gaze of each shinobi. "Be careful about where you discuss the investigation and watch your backs. If all goes well, things are about to become more dangerous."

"Hai," all three reply.

"Dismissed."

After leaving Tsunade's office and walk out of the tower, Sasuke invites Naruto and Kakashi over to his house for tea. Knowing he wants to talk about what just happened both readily agree and walk with him back to the Uchiha district.

Within a half hour all three settle with their tea in Sasuke's living room.

Naruto shrewdly eyes him before commenting, "You still floored by your mission, teme?"

"A few months ago I was a missing nin and sworn enemy of this village," he states, arching a brow. "Now the Hokage is offering me a delicate mission to protect that village. Shouldn't I be surprised, dobe?"

"Not when Naruto is the one nominating you for the task, Kakashi replies easily.

"What?" she asks at Sasuke's surprised look. "You left all those years ago for selfish reasons, but you've grown a lot since then, teme. Even if you're doing this mission for purely selfish reasons, you need to discover the truth once and for all in order to move on. Which, when you think about it, negates the selfishness and turns it into something necessary. 'Sides, you can't do that if you betray the village again. And whether you admit it or not, you like being a part of the village and all the nutcases that live in it. Here you don't have to worry about getting killed if you give your loyalty to the wrong person 'cause, c'mon, the Akatsuki aren't the type of ninja who are about solidarity are they?"

Nodding, Sasuke smirks, conceding her point.

"Whether your leaving was the right choice or not," Naruto continues. "You were going to do things your way. We just had to wait for you to realize you still had a home to return to. And you're surprised you've been given this mission?"

Sasuke gapes at her stunned before bursting into laughter. Kakashi and Naruto exchange worried looks and wonder if he has finally lost it.

Within a few minutes the Uchiha regains his composure. "How ironic the one person who understands me the best is the one everyone dismissed as being so clueless she didn't know which way was up. It wasn't the Hokage, it wasn't the council and it sure as hell wasn't the fan girls, but my tomboy rival who never had any family to begin with."

"Remember when I told you bonds distracted me from the goals, desires and emotions that mattered?" At her nod he continues, "I wasted more time and effort fighting those bonds when you were right, they only make you stronger. That's why you improved when I felt like I was standing still. I still can't profess any real love or loyalty to the village, but that is due more to not knowing what either of those things mean anymore." Piercing both his teammate's gazes, he adds, "However, I know you'd both lay your lives down for the village and because of that I'll do this for you, not just to discover Danzo's role in my family's death."

Silence reigns again as they process his words before Naruto comments, "You better not get your ass killed by Danzo, then. We don't want any guilt trips 'cause you're doing this for us and, 'sides," she smirks. "You have a reputation to uphold. How could you survive Orochimaru and not Danzo? Getting killed by Danzo would just be lame since you haven't shown this village what a real badass you can be."

"You're going to make his head swell, Naruto," Kakashi chuckles.

"That happens all on its own," Naruto scoffs. "'Sides, I can easily deflate it by kicking his ass."

"Yeah right," Sasuke snorts.

Naruto wags a scolding finger at him. "Remember our last match up that brought your ass home. I've got all the ANBU as well as two Sannin to back up my claim."

"She's got you there, Sasuke," Kakashi drolly replies.

Smirking despite himself, Sasuke throws his hands up in surrender. "I don't feel in the mood for a rematch right now."

Naruto grins back. "Any time and any place, teme."

Deciding to change the subject, Sasuke asks, "I've been wondering for awhile, but why is your ANBU persona Ermine and not a fox?"

"Isn't a fox a bit too obvious?" she asks, scrunching up her face in confusion. "ANBU is supposed to be anonymous and having the fox mask would just scream out who I am. Hell, might as well wear my old jumpsuit with my name written across my back."

Sasuke cringes. "Don't remind me of that horror."

"That was my favorite outfit," she bites out with a glare.

"Yeah, you liked to look like a redheaded pumpkin," he retorts. "Just seeing you in that outfit made my eyes hurt."

Before she could retort Kakashi replies, "He has a point, Naruto. Unless a person was colorblind, you did make for a rather painful sight."

Naruto glares at them before crossing her arms and pouting, mumbling, "Everyone has their own style that was mine."

Chuckling with Sasuke, Kakashi leans over and ruffles her hair, causing her to swat his hand away in annoyance.

"Now's probably a good time for another subject change," Kakashi suggests, ignoring Naruto's scowl. "Although Danzo is adept at being steps ahead of his opponents, he's obviously a man of habit. In order for Sasuke to be successful in his mission, we have to figure out as much of his pattern as possible."

"True," Naruto nods, adding, "We already know he's probably overconfident since he's been doing whatever the hell he pleases for years without penalty. I'm sure he thinks he can control and manipulate Sasuke."

"We can't analyze Danzo until I'm around him enough to observe his habits and mannerisms," Sasuke points out. "There's no point in discussing it when it'll only be speculation that will likely be wrong. We should wait until I have something to share so we can analyze him better."

"Sounds good," Kakashi agrees. Glancing out the nearest window and noting the time, he adds, "We should get going."

"Yeah, I've got a couple of things to do," Naruto nods, rising from the sofa to start gathering up their dirty dishes. "We'll help you clean up, teme. Will you be coming over to the monthly social at the Zodiac tonight?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes as he and Kakashi pick up the rest of the tea things to carry into the kitchen. "Yeah, I'll be there or I'll never hear the end of it from you and Ino."

"Damn straight," Naruto quips setting the cups she carried onto the kitchen table.

Sasuke insisted on washing the dishes, effectively chasing the two out of his home minutes later. As they walk together in silence, Kakashi glances over and studies Naruto for a minute.

Feeling his gaze she looks over and meets his inscrutable gaze. "What?"

"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider joining the T & I dept?" he asks, innocently.

She scrunches her face up in bemusement. "Why do you say that? I wasn't being the least bit intimidating towards Sasuke."

"No," Kakashi drawls, "But you have a knack for getting people to do things that clash with their desires. Despite the allure of learning the truth about his clan massacre, Sasuke never would've returned to the village and complied with his punishment. He also never would've agreed to infiltrate Danzo. Revenge was his focus. Everything else was secondary. Yet you brilliantly convinced him all this is what he wanted, despite the fact he buried himself so deeply in denial that he was convinced otherwise."

Ignoring her blush, she replies, "Yeah, well, I don't want the village to have a weak foundation supported by lies. Allowing the lies to continue undermines what generations of shinobi have sacrificed their lives for. Yeah, the Hokage guide and support this village, but it's the shinobi who are the lifeblood."

Looking up at the early afternoon sky, she places her hands behind her head and explains further. "There was no one else left that Sasuke would've listened to that could convince him to open his damn eyes. In a way, I was always his failure, the one wall he could never get over except when he got lucky and he knows it. I scratched his hitai-ate instead of going for the kill at the Valley of the End. It cost me the match, but that scratch hung with him a lot longer. Without a clear-cut victory against me, he couldn't believe he was strong enough to take on Itachi."

Dropping her arms back to her side she shrugs. "That made it easier to get him to listen because we're equals now." Looking knowingly at Kakashi, she adds, "Sasuke would never listen to you because you were his superior who had far more experience, skill and knowledge than him. Anyone else was inferior, so he wouldn't have listened to them either."

They continue walking in silence for a few more minutes before Kakashi asks, "Is that the reason why you tried so hard to save Sasuke? Or did you have other reasons when it would've been much easier to kill him and be done with it?"

Naruto considers her response before admitting, "No, it's not the only reason. I've never given anyone the real reason why I struggled to save him. I'll tell you because you're the only one who'd understand. It's said there's a fine line between love and hate, often being different sides of the same coin. Sasuke and I hated each other so much, but we wanted and needed acknowledgement from each other. When we finally did, basically that made all of us family. Team 7 was my first real family, the first to acknowledge me. So, I'd do everything to save and protect you guys, even from your own stupidity."

She smirks at Kakashi's grin before continuing. "Sasuke was lost and I wanted to help him find his way again. As much as his actions pissed us off, he's still one of our shinobi and we have to help each other, otherwise we really are nothing more than tools. It's also a shameful tragedy to lose our own over something so stupid."

Naruto's gaze drops in sadness. "It's too bad we couldn't do the same for Itachi." Looking up with determined eyes, she adds, "The least we can do is correct the misconception he's nothing more than a murderous traitor when it's becoming so obvious he never was."

Reaching over and grabbing her in a headlock, Kakashi ruffles her hair. "That is why you're going to make a great Hokage. You haven't let yourself become jaded and forgotten what the 'Will of Fire' means." He releases her and watches in amusement as she smoothes out her hair before adding, "Don't forget that as much as you consider us family, we consider you family. At least, I do."

Climbing the stairs to their building, Naruto smiles warmly before smirking, "That goes without saying. We're far too dysfunctional not to be family."

Laughing, Kakashi nods, "It was my luck to get stuck with a team saddled with the most problems."

"True, none of the other jounin sensei seemed to have as much trouble with their teams as we had in ours."

"At least we can't say it's been boring," he sighs resignedly.

"Yep," Naruto agrees as they enter their apartment. As she slips off her sandals she asks, "Are you going out later?"

"I might be stopping by the Zodiac later for a few drinks with some of the other jounin."

"Great," she grins. "With Sasuke there and if a pool table's open, maybe we can play a round."

Kakashi rolls his eye. "I do not envision a pool game between you and Sasuke being anywhere near friendly."

"That's because he's a teme," she sniffs haughtily. "Anyway, I'm going to take a nap, but will be up in time to help you make dinner."

"All right," Kakashi nods as she disappears down the hallway. Making his way over to the sofa, he stretches out with his trusty Icha Icha out in his hand.

* * *

The night is going great as far as Naruto's concerned. All the K-11, plus one teme, is there and Genma is actually behaving himself for once.

They all congregated at the Zodiac, a bar owned by Shikamaru's equally lazy, older and far more lecherous cousin Shigure. She's certain she's not the only one who ever occasionally wondered what it is about the Nara clan and drinking as Shikaku is still considered a champion stool ornament. However, unlike Shikaku and Shikamaru, Shigure wasn't as proficient a ninja or as shrewd a tactician and decided to support himself by opening his own bar.

Not dwelling on that thought for long, she divides her time between Genma and her friends, doing her best to not give him an excuse to be an ass. She is not going to have him going off on how she's neglecting him or some such crap.

Genma seems to be in a particularly good mood and is fine hanging out with Raido, Kotetsu, Izumo and Aoba when he's not ribbing Kiba and the others. Naruto doesn't fail to notice how he ignores Sasuke, but that's fine with her since the teme is ignoring him with equal prejudice.

Walking back over to where Genma and his friends are sitting, he pulls her close when she's in range to lean in and speak in her ear.

"It looks like the tables are going to be busy for awhile," Genma states, using one arm to gesture at all the occupied pool tables. "We're going to head over to the Lucky Leaf and see if we can get on a table there, maybe get in a round or two."

Naruto liked the Lucky Leaf. It isn't as bright and open as the Zodiac, but it's a good place to go if you aren't feeling that sociable.

"Great," she replies. "I haven't seen Jin in awhile. I can bug him at the bar while waiting for my turn to play."

"Why don't you stay here since tonight is your monthly social with your friends?" Genma suggests, surprising her. "You were excited about tonight because all the rookies are here for once. And I doubt we're going to get on a table there. If it's busy here, chances are good Jin's place is hopping. We'll probably end up coming back anyway."

"Yeah, but," she begins hesitantly. "I wanted to spend time with you tonight, not just the others."

Grinning, he leans in to kiss her. "Don't worry about it. Even if we get on a table, we'll probably be back in an hour or so. Or, knowing you, you'll probably get annoyed at someone and come join us anyway."

"Yeah, probably," Naruto smirks before leaning in to kiss him again. "Okay, go have fun. I'll see you later."

After Genma and the others leave, Naruto heads back to the crowded tables the rookies had pushed together to accommodate all of them and their significant others. Even Sakura showed up tonight with her boyfriend Ritsu in tow.

After nearly an hour of torturing and teasing her favorite targets, it's not long before it's her turn to head over to the bar and order the next round of drinks.

Her grin widens as she sees Yamato and Anko sitting with Kakashi.

Looking up, Shigure notices her approaching, "The same for everyone, Naruto?"

"Yeah, please," she nods to the dark haired man as she stands next to Kakashi.

She spends a few minutes chatting with him, Anko and Yamato before a familiar face catches her attention out of her peripheral vision. Glancing over, she's surprised to see Raido, Kotetsu and Izumo playing at one of the pool tables. Blue eyes search the immediate area, but no Genma. Excusing herself, she walks over to the guys.

"Hey Raido, where's Genma?"

"There weren't any tables open at the Lucky Leaf," he explains. "So we came back here when none would be opening anytime soon. Genma wanted to finish the drink he ordered before joining us." Holding up his cue stick, he asks, "Want to join us? Us two against Izumo and Kotetsu?"

"Sure," Naruto grins as she steps off to the side to select a cue stick from the rack.

At that moment Aoba enters the bar and walks over to Raido after spotting him from the doorway.

Raido frowns in confusion asking, "Where's Genma, Aoba?"

Failing to notice Naruto at the cue stick rack when he came over, he blithely replies with a shrug, "We're probably not going to see Genma anymore tonight. He's too busy with a busty blonde he met at the Lucky Leaf and you _know_ how much he likes blondes."

Aoba frowns at Raido's stricken look until he hears a distinctively familiar female voice behind him ask, "So how _busy_ is Genma getting with this blonde?"

Swallowing nervously, Aoba slowly turns around and comes face to face with an expressionless Naruto waiting expectantly for his answer with her arms crossed.

"Shit," he mutters under his breath before stammering louder, "Uh, Genma was just talking to the blonde."

"What kind of talking?" she asks innocently.

Knowing he's screwed, he reluctantly replies, "They're flirting, nothing more."

Cocking her head, Naruto considers his words as she repeats, "Nothing more. Hmm."

Leaning her cue stick against the table she turns towards the door.

Reaching past Aoba, Raido grabs her arm, pleading, "Don't go overboard, Naruto. You know how much of a flirt Genma is."

Taking a deep breath Naruto nods, "That's why I'm not going to kill him. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt 'cause he may only be window shopping and not sampling the merchandise. _But_," her gaze hardens. "He's the one who wanted to continue our relationship and I did want to go with you guys over to the Lucky Leaf, but he wouldn't let me. So why is he spending time with someone other than me?"

Raido has no answer, but is relieved she's not intent on killing Genma. He doesn't want to see her catch any flak for justifiably beating his friend for his stupidity.

Releasing her arm he asks, "Please be careful."

"I will," she promises with a reassuring smile before leaving.

Watching her disappear out the door, Raido turns his attention back to Aoba. Crossing his arms, he demands, "What the fuck didn't you tell Naruto?"

Aoba shrinks a little under his glare as Kotetsu and Izumo move around to join him in the interrogation.

Before the bespectacled man can answer, another smooth voice asks, "What did Aoba fail to tell Naruto?"

Closing his eyes briefly in dismay, he looks over his shoulder and pales to see Kakashi flanked by Anko and Yamato. Sobering realization creeps into his brain that any way he looks at it, he's not going to survive this night.

Swallowing thickly he stutters, "G-Genma st-stayed at the Lucky Leaf to flirt with a blonde with a n-nice rack."

"You fed that bullshit to Naruto, Aoba," Raido snaps. "Now what did you hold back?"

Nervous eyes flit nervously about the now quiet bar, fully aware everyone is focused on him.

Yep, he is not going to see another sunrise.

"Genma was doing more than talking," he reveals reluctantly. "They were getting pretty hot and heavy. In fact, Jin tossed them out because their little floorshow was getting too x-rated. I got fed up with trying to talk sense to Genma and get him to return back here, so I left him."

As the silence stretches out, Aoba considers whether it's possible to escape.

"Genma's gonna die," a voice calls out.

Anko confidently declares, "Nope, he's gonna end up in traction."

Another voice says, "Naruto's going to make sure Genma never has kids."

As different voices call out possible outcomes, Shigure whips out his writing pad and takes bets while everyone else falls to discussing the latest development.

Ritsu looks around confused. The fresh faced, shaggy haired brunet comments, "Everyone seems so sure Naruto and Genma are going to break up."

"Why are you confused?" Sakura asks. "It'll happen."

"Naruto is so easy going and forgiving, how can you be so sure?"

"Naruto tolerates much, but infidelity is something she will not endure," Neji explains, answering the young chuunin's question.

"That's why Naruto will dismember Genma into tiny pieces," Ino chimes in.

Lee declares, "It is a little unyouthful to go to that extreme, though."

"It's even more unacceptably unyouthful to cheat on the woman you profess to love," Gai corrects his protégé, prompting Ino to grin and snuggle up against his arm.

Noticing some of the others staring, he winks and flashes a thumbs up while ignoring the grimaces of the rest at their public display of affection.

"She won't dismember Genma," Shikamaru muses thoughtfully. "She'll embarrass the hell out of his ass." Turning to Kiba he adds, "Isn't that right?"

"No shit," he growls, turning a deep crimson. His hair is still growing out from having his mom basically shave everything off to get rid of the horrifyingly bright fuchsia color. It proved too hard to wait until it grew out when Akamaru and all the Inuzuka companions kept snickering every time they looked at him.

"Naruto has given Genma far too many chances for her not to exact some form of revenge," Shino points out.

"Whatever it is, it'll be one hell of a show," Tenten comments.

"It must be humiliating for Naruto," Hinata comments sadly. "To believe wholeheartedly in Genma and give him the opportunity to work on their relationship only to have him to trash it in such a public manner."

All smiling and sniggering stops as everyone sobers up at Hinata's words, some nodding in agreement.

"You're right, Hinata," Choji pipes in. "But once Naruto exacts her revenge, she'll feel a lot better and will eventually forgive him. She's not one to hold grudges."

"We're gonna have to help Naruto find a better boyfriend the next time around," Sakura states as she discreetly catches Sasuke's eye, letting him know she means him.

During the entire exchange he sat quietly, half listening to the animated conversation while plotting how to avenge Naruto. Sakura's comment broke him out of his reverie and reminds him that Naruto is now available on the market. Now he has a chance with her.

"As tempting as that is, forehead, Naruto is not going to like us interfering with her love life. And I can't blame her," Ino points out reasonably.

"Her track record on picking good boyfriends is really poor, Ino-pig," Sakura retorts.

"Hey!" Choji protests while Neji glares at her.

Looking between the two young men Sakura asks, "Well, neither of you are with her anymore are you?"

"Our breakup was amicable and neither Choji nor I ever mistreated her," Neji arches a brow, silently daring her to contradict him.

"Okay," Sakura acquiesces. "And I'm sorry for speaking without remembering that, but you can't deny she might need some help finding someone. She's too nice and tolerates too much."

"We are treading in some very dangerous waters and it's best to stay out of Naruto-chan's love life," Gai reasons.

"Exactly," Shikamaru agrees. "We haven't even gotten the official word they are broken up yet. Naruto has surprised us more than once already by choosing to give Genma another chance. Even if they do break up, she's not likely to be interested in another relationship right now. It's better to let her handle things her way."

Everyone agrees and continues speculating on the situation while Sakura backs down, knowing the idea has already taken root and it shouldn't take long for her to be able to manipulate things. A solid plan is already forming in her head. Depending on how events play out between Naruto and Genma, she may be able to get the baka and Sasuke together. All she'll have to do after that is fire up Genma's jealously, so when she or Sai can finally kill the baka they can blame it on the senbon user.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and the other jounin finish squeezing Aoba for information. Kakashi is worried about Naruto, but after Raido explained how she promised not to go overboard with Genma he relaxes a little. She'll only give the ass exactly what he deserves. His concern is for her emotional well being because of the events of the last two days. She certainly doesn't need this shit from Genma. He just needs to know what else Aoba is holding out on.

It doesn't take long to break Aoba, he may be a very good jounin, but he knows better than to fuck with Kakashi.

"So you're saying Genma has been seeing someone else for awhile, Aoba?" a deceptively calm Kakashi queries.

Aoba nods and adds, "For a couple of months and their dates always involved more than flirting and making out."

"Why the hell were you helping Genma cheat on Naruto and lying to her this whole time?" a shocked and angry Raido asks.

"It's between Genma and Naruto," Aoba snaps defensively. "I just happened to be there. It wasn't like I was helping Genma cover it up or anything."

"You knew but didn't say anything and that's the same thing," Kotetsu replies.

"Yep, and that's how Naruto will see it anyway," Izumo agrees.

Anko adds her two ryo saying, "If she doesn't, Iruka will when he hears of this and everyone knows nothing is scarier than Iruka in Mother Bear mode."

Aoba pales, looking like he's going to pass out.

Having heard enough Kakashi asks, "Where would Genma take his floozy if they were kicked out of the Lucky Leaf?"

With a resigned sigh Aoba explains, "As hot and heavy as they were getting they wouldn't have made it far. Genma's favorite public spot is the notorious Fuck Tree."

Anko rolls her eyes, "That's everyone's favorite public spot, Aoba."

"That's the tree that looks like two people having sex right?" Izumo asks.

"Yeah," Kotetsu explains. "Remember ANBU had to make it part of their regular early morning patrol route because a lot of people use it as a sort of lover's lane."

"Ah, right," Izumo agrees. "I remember the Hokage was tired of complaints about the underwear being left to hang off the tree as trophies."

"Well, who wants to go to the park and see someone's nasty underwear waving around like that for everyone to see?" Kotetsu reasons.

Ignoring the conversation, Kakashi turns to Yamato. "Stay here in case Naruto comes back. I'm going to try to find her before she does something she'll regret. Unless she wants help, then that's fine too."

"Yes, sempai," Yamato acknowledges.

"Want me to go with you just in case to help with Genma, Kakashi?" Raido offers.

"No, stay here. Genma may head back here, especially if she breaks up his little tryst."

"Sure," Raido smirks.

Turning to Aoba, Kakashi suggests, "It's a good idea for you to call it an early night because if Naruto talks to Jin, she's going to know about your involvement."

Catching the implication, Aoba grimaces and wishes everyone a hasty goodnight before disappearing out the door followed by a nonchalant Kakashi.

* * *

While chaos ensues back at the Shuriken, Naruto is busy investigating Genma at the Lucky Leaf. She knows the owner Jin well enough to trust she'll get a straight answer from the self-described old, fat, bald guy. She has a sneaky feeling Aoba was holding out on her, but she can easily deal with his ass later. He has never been one of her favorite people because of his condescending attitude when he wasn't being indifferent toward her.

Originally Jin was one of the people who still secretly disliked the redhead because of the demon she carried. However, he watched her long enough whenever she was in his place with the intent of seeing how evil she really was. Eventually he realized she was anything but demonic.

On slow nights when the guys were too engrossed in their game and shut her out, she'd come over and talk to him. Even when he was rude to her or ignored her, she still kept attempting to engage him in conversation. She caught him off guard when she asked about a photo of a girl he had tucked among some of the knick-knacks on display among the bottles lining the wall behind him. Without meaning to, he told her about his daughter and that she had married and lived in the capital.

Naruto genuinely congratulated him when he revealed his daughter was expecting her first child. What fully won him over was when Genma sauntered over and asked who the hot looking chick in the picture was and Naruto decked him, scolding him to be more respectful of Jin's daughter. Jin was genuinely surprised she'd defend someone she never met instead of being angry at Genma over calling another woman hot. Since then, Naruto became one of his favorite customers.

As reluctant as he is to tell her about her two-timing boyfriend, he gives her all the details, feeling she deserves to know the truth.

"I'd say Genma's been meeting the tramp here for the last month or so. At the most, two," Jin explains. "And I do mean 'tramp' because I've seen her making the rounds. Especially if the guy is a jounin. She's got a thing for the high ranked nins."

Jin gives Naruto a minute alone while he takes care of another drink order before stepping back over to where she's sitting to continue.

"They're definitely more than just friends, kid. Friends don't go making out in the back corner. If that's not convincing enough, Genma had one hand stuck up her skirt and the other stuffed down her blouse while one of her hands was stuffed down his pants. I've never seen _friends_ do that."

Naruto echoes his smirk as he adds, "The final straw was when she kneeled down on the floor in front and started unzipping his pants. I kicked their asses out. I don't run that kind of place. They didn't care about who was watching, so I doubt they went back to either of their places. I've heard the Fuck Tree was a frequent enough haunt for Genma, so they probably went there."

Recognition lights up her eyes, making him figure the idiot must've taken her there too. Deciding not to embarrass her further, Jin doesn't comment, but points out, "If you don't believe me ask Aoba. He's been in here often enough with Genma and the tramp."

Swallowing thickly, Naruto manages a small smile. "Don't worry, I believe you, Jin."

Jin feels bad seeing the anger and pain simmering in those beautiful blue eyes, but it's better than lying to her.

"I'm sorry about not telling you sooner, kid, but I hadn't seen you for a long time. And you know I don't venture out of the bar much."

"It's okay, Jin. Besides, it's been pretty busy for me, so I've been scarce," she assures him. "I know now and that's what's important."

The older man smirks when he notes the determined, vindictive glint in her eyes as she bows her gratitude.

"Thanks for telling me, Jin."

As he watches Naruto leave he knows that fool Genma is in for it. He feels no pity for a moron who'd throw away a great relationship with a catch like that. Shaking his head he knows he'll be hearing all the gossip from Shigure tomorrow.

* * *

Naruto remembers where the Fuck Tree is, but just in case she enhances her sense of smell to track Genma from the bar. She easily picks up his distinctive scent, which is quickly overpowered by the cheap perfume his tramp is wearing. The reek is so heavy Naruto can almost see it and it's not long before she stops tracking by smell because the stink is giving her a headache and making her eyes water.

Arriving at the park, Naruto hides in a cluster of trees with an excellent view of the infamous Fuck Tree. Enhancing her night vision with chakra she swallows against the bile rising in her throat at the sight of the noisy couple barely concealed by the shrubbery at the base of the tree. There is definitely no question they're doing more than just making out.

Closing her eyes against the disgusting sight, Naruto takes a deep breath while deciding on what to do.

Turning away, she bites her thumb and quickly summons two small toads.

"Hey Gamahaku and Gamahiro," she warmly greets the twin albinos.

"Hiya, Naruto!" Gamahiro, the more outgoing of the two waves cheerfully. "What's up?"

"I've got a job for you two." Gesturing over her shoulder, she explains, "I need you to sneak over to the couple and steal just the guy's clothes. You can tell which is his because it's a jounin uniform. Take everything except his boxer shorts and sandals and bring them to me."

"What's in it for us?" Gamahaku, the surlier of the two demands.

"Candy when the job is complete. I've been practicing making the bug candy Ma taught me during my last visit to the mountain. I'm getting pretty good at it. I've even got dragonflies!"

Twin sets of pink eyes light up.

"Dragonflies?" Gamahiro asks. At Naruto's nod, he adds, "Count me in!"

"Me too!" his brother eagerly nods.

Within minutes the twins come back with their prize. After getting the clothes she gives them their reward before they return to the mountain. She then creates a shadow clone and instructs it to give her a five minute head start before emerging noisily from another group of bushes near the couple. She emphasizes to the clone that it _has_ to be seen by Genma.

Once the clone acknowledges the order, the real Naruto heads back to the Shuriken.

On her way back she sees Kakashi approaching from the opposite direction. He stops and waits for her to get closer then falls in step next to her as she continues walking.

"Are those Genma's clothes," he asks nonchalantly after a few steps.

"Yep."

"Is Genma still alive?"

"Yep." After a moment she adds, "Uninjured. For the moment."

Nodding his head in understanding Kakashi asks, "Need help carrying out your self-appointed mission?"

She gives him a cunning grin saying, "No thanks. Just sit back and watch the show that's set to begin in a little while."

Kakashi nods again as they reach the Shuriken and he steps forward to hold the door for her. An expectant hush settles over the bar as all eyes fall on her when they enter.

Naruto rolls her eyes, saying, "Get a life."

"We have a life, it's just not as interesting as yours," Kiba calls from across the room.

Naruto can't resist joining in the laughter at the Inuzuka's smart assed response.

"Yeah, but the real show won't start for several minutes, there's some prep work first," she calls back.

Waving off any further questions she steps over to the bar. Glancing up over to the wall behind the bar she waves Shigure over as Kakashi settles onto a stool next to Yamato.

"Hey, Shigure, can I borrow the stuffed deer head hanging over the bar for a little bit?" she asks, pointing up at the mounted buck head. "I promise not to damage it and it won't even leave its mount."

Warily he asks, "Is this part of a prank?"

"Yep," Naruto happily answers.

A sunny smile spreads across his handsome face, "Certainly! Let me get the stepladder for you."

Naruto is glad she wore jeans tonight as it made climbing the ladder so much easier. She's utterly oblivious to Kakashi, as well as many of the male patrons of the bar, appreciating the view her tight fitting jeans gave them.

Draping the rest of Genma's uniform across the top of the ladder, she unzips his flak vest. Carefully she manages to wrap it around the tines of the deer's right antler before zipping it up again.

Catching on by this point, some of the other patrons call out suggestions or make comments. Everyone watches in amusement as she ties the hitai-ate onto head and around the ears the same way Genma wears it. Picking up the shirt, she ties the sleeves of the shirt around the neck of the buck, making it look like a big, blue bib.

Climbing the ladder a little higher, Naruto tosses a leg over the top of the ladder to straddle it. Leaning one arm on her knee while holding up the pants for everyone to see, she asks, "Impaled on the other antler or draped?"

A unanimous chorus rings out, "Impale his ass!"

With a mischievous grin and to much cheering she shifts back around to face the deer. Holding the seat of the pants taut she jams them over the tines of the left antler.

Dusting off her hands, she is about to climb down when Anko cries, "Wait! You're missing something!"

Glancing over her shoulder curiously, Naruto watches Anko step over to whisper in Yamato's ear.

Laughing, he nods his head and extends a finger to create a long, thin wooden replica of a senbon.

Seeing what he made Naruto laughs as Shigure picks it up and hands it to her. Adding the final embellishment to the deer's mouth, Naruto finally climbs down. Shigure removes the ladder as she steps around the bar to view her handiwork.

Anko drapes her arm over the redhead's shoulder, commenting, "It's the spitting image of Genma. Even has the same blank expression."

Everyone laughs as the door opens. They turn as an irate Genma storms over to Naruto. Knowing smirks break out as no one fails to notice he's fully dressed.

Dropping her arm, Anko shifts to face Genma, but Naruto's restraining hand and slight shake of her head makes it clear she does not want her to interfere. Stepping around Anko to face Genma, Naruto places both hands on her hips, waiting for him to speak first.

Stepping closer and leaning into her personal space he growls, "What the hell are you thinking?"

Not the least bit intimidated Naruto calmly replies, "I'd like to know the same thing, Genma."

Neither acknowledges the silence that fell over the room as everyone watches the drama unfold.

"I won't be the butt of one of you stupid pranks just because you're bored!" he snarls.

Cocking her head slightly, she drolly replies, "It's got nothing to do with boredom and you'd know all about butts since yours was waving around reflecting the moonlight to blind any unfortunate passerby."

Turning a deep red while others laughed at her dig Genma protests, "It wasn't what you thought! You should've asked me what was going on instead of pulling a stupidly childish stunt out of jealously," he points accusingly.

Both eyebrows shoot up as she repeats, "Jealously? That's what you think? And I wasn't about to interrupt when you were obviously busy with your _friend_. As for it not being what I thought, there's no way in hell you're going to convince me you two were practicing taijutsu 'cause that had to be the craziest taijutsu I ever saw."

She smirks as Genma seethes at the surrounding laughter. Cutting him off from protesting further, she adds, "On the bright side, your track record of never having broken up with a girlfriend remains intact 'cause our relationship is deader than that deer."

She points to the deer head decorated with his clothes.

As he sputters in outrage at what she did, Naruto forms the sign of the ram, quietly saying, "Kai."

Touching the back of his shoulder, laughter, catcalls and whistles erupt in the room as his henge drops, revealing him to be wearing nothing more than boxer shorts decorated with multi-colored frogs.

"Nice undies!" someone calls out.

"Yeah, a present from his last girlfriend," Naruto quips before disappearing from the bar.

"Shut the fuck up!" Genma angrily snaps at people while quickly reestablishing his henge. Glaring momentarily at the deer head he turns and stalks out of the bar when he realizes Naruto has left.

The bar fills with the animated conversation and laughter over what happened. However, Kakashi is disturbed by Genma's sudden unexpected exit. Glancing over his shoulder at Yamato, the expression on the younger man's face reflects his concern. Nodding his head in silent understanding, both slip off their stools and leave the bar.

Watching the grim looking men leave, Raido decides to follow them out the door.

None of the men notice Sasuke tailing them. The rest of rookies are too caught up in their discussion of Naruto and Genma that they don't notice him quietly slip away and follow the jounin. He isn't about to let Genma hurt his future girlfriend anymore, nor get away with the humiliation he's already heaped on her.

* * *

Desperately needing to be alone and blow off steam, Naruto heads for her favorite training ground.

There's so much more she could've said to Genma, but most of it things that had already been said too many times before. She hates giving up on anything, but even she recognizes their relationship is a lost cause.

It is done and they are over.

What hurt more was to be played the fool. The one thing she clearly said she wouldn't tolerate is exact thing he had to pull in the most humiliating way.

She takes out her frustration and anger on one of the thick wood posts, pounding and kicking them mercilessly.

She's not looking forward to the comments from her friends. She doesn't want their pity and sure as hell does not want to hear anyone say, "I told you so," or, 'You really should've known better."

She knows all that, damn it, she knows it.

Naruto is so caught up in beating the shit out of the defenseless posts that she almost doesn't notice Genma enter the training grounds.

Stopping to turn and look at him, she asks, "What the hell do you want? You've got a new girlfriend already. You don't need me to be your fool anymore."

Genma closes in on her position, demanding, "We need to talk."

"Now you want to talk?" she snorts. "Gee, didn't seem interested in talking when you decided to knock sandals in the park with another woman. If you wanted to talk, you could've said you didn't want to be with me anymore. I'd have been fine with that. Every other time we talked _you_ insisted on continuing our relationship, so, really, what the hell do you want?"

"It wasn't what it looked like!" Genma protests.

His face snaps hard to his right and his left cheek stings where Naruto slapped him.

"Like hell it wasn't what it looked like!" she shouts. "I saw it myself! And you'd taken me to that tree before, so I know you don't go there to star gaze!"

Rubbing his cheek he glares at her and snaps, "Maybe if you didn't act like a smothering prude interested in being with other people over me, maybe I wouldn't have had to go elsewhere!"

Narrowing her eyes at him dangerously she opens her mouth to reply when Sasuke's voice cuts her off.

"Regardless of how a woman acts, it's still low to cheat."

Both turn to see Sasuke standing near Kakashi, Yamato and Raido.

"Stay out of it!" Genma snarls.

When Sasuke takes a step forward, Naruto points at him with an intense glare, "It's between us. _I'm_ handling it."

Glaring back, he retorts, "As usual, you're not doing a very good job."

"Stand down and stay out of it, Sasuke," Kakashi orders sternly.

Seeing the serious look on the older man's face made it clear he meant it. Reluctantly Sasuke steps back.

Turning her fierce gaze back onto to Genma, Naruto's tone becomes sarcastic. "Poor baby! Must have it rough as it's always someone else's fault. Whenever I'm affectionate, you say I'm smothering. Whenever I'd say you're acting like an ass, you call it nagging. My favorite is whenever I'd so much as say 'hi' to any of my _male_ friends, who I've known for _years_, I'm cheating."

Placing her hands on her hips, she takes a step forward. "I'm wondering how I'm being a prude when you always kill the mood. Remember, the one time we were getting it on pretty good, ironically at the Fuck Tree, and you got pissy, completely ruining the mood?" she asks, pausing to give him a chance to answer.

When he only glares, she briefly flicks her hand to point at him in emphasis. "You don't? Let me refresh your memory 'cause I recall thinking you were teasing me and when I asked you to quit fucking around you got upset. Instead of shrugging it off and getting back to the fun part, you kept angrily insisting you weren't teasing, long after I apologized for misunderstanding you."

Naruto rolls her eyes at the memory before continuing, "Afterwards I sure as hell wasn't convinced to ever let you in my pants, regardless of how frisky you were feeling. And that's all you wanted, wasn't it? You never wanted a relationship. And I don't mean marriage either. Just two people enjoying each other's company. Not your definition with a roll in the sack and on to the next chick."

"Gee, silly me for thinking we meant more than that," she drawls, slapping her forehead in mock realization. Glaring hard, she adds, "I gave you all the space you wanted. I never made any demands on your time. You got to hang out with your friends whenever you wanted. I even ignored when you treating me like I'm too stupid to participate in your _grown up_ discussions about your war experiences. So, what I really want to know is how the fuck does that give you the excuse to cheat?"

"What the hell am I supposed to think?" Genma cuts in shouting. "You move in with Kakashi and every time I turn around you're off fucking another guy!"

As the last word passes his lips, he goes sprawling in the dirt when Naruto decks him hard enough to bruise his jaw.

In a low voice she growls, "Your insecurities about loving someone combined with alcohol exponentially enhances your stupidity to the nth degree."

Enraged, Genma quickly clambers to his feet and backhands her, forcing her to look the other way briefly. When she straightens up, she's angered to see Sasuke and Genma grappling and scuffling.

As the others close in to help break up the fight, she yells, "Butt the fuck out, teme!"

She moves closer to help grab one of the morons. As she reaches for Sasuke, Genma takes a swing at Sasuke who ducks under it, causing his fist to nail Naruto right in the nose. Too stunned to process what happened she falls back onto the ground. Naruto vaguely notes the bastard broke her nose. Rapidly her entire world centers on the pain as she curls on her side, clenching her eyes shut while gingerly cupping her hands over her profusely bleeding nose.

Pissed Sasuke ignored his order and at how badly the fight escalated, Kakashi, Raido and Yamato grab the brawling men and try pulling them apart. Being the larger of the two idiots, Kakashi helps Raido grab Genma's arms.

Unfortunately, the enraged man breaks free of their grasp and races back towards Sasuke who breaks free of Yamato at the same time. The two wildly throw punches at each other as the others close in again.

Before they can reach them, the two combatants are suddenly and violently thrown apart into the trees at opposite ends of the clearing.

Confused, Kakashi turns to see who separated them. His heart freezes in his chest as his eyes lock on Naruto.

Crouched down on all fours and growling ominously, Naruto's slitted red eyes flick between Genma and Sasuke as they slowly emerge from the trees. The single tail of the demon cloak swishes anxiously behind her.

"Shit," Yamato tensely mutters just loud enough for Kakashi to hear, echoing exactly his silent sentiment. The mokuton user is the only other person present to understand how dire the situation just became.

Both men share a look and Kakashi uses field sign to give Yamato his instructions. The younger man nods and without taking his eyes off Naruto eases closer to Raido. He absently notes her bloodied nose still looks broken when normally all her wounds heal instantly in this mode.

When he reaches Raido, Yamato keeps his voice low. "Get Genma out of here quickly and quietly. Knock him out if you have to, but get him the hell away. Do not run or turn your backs on her."

Knowing now was not the time to ask stupid questions Raido nods as he fearfully watches her, confirming, "Naruto has gone a little feral and if we panic, we die, right?"

"Pretty much," Yamato replies.

With Naruto focused mostly on Sasuke, Raido is able to move swiftly towards his friend. However, once he's close enough, Naruto's eerie eyes lock on them.

He whispers to a shocked looking Genma, "Keep your mouth shut and follow my lead if you want to get out of this alive."

Genma finally looks at him and opens his mouth to protest, but Raido cuts him off, "It's not a fucking joke! I'll knock your ass out if I have to, but it's better if we get the hell out now."

Years of working together taught Genma to never question Raido when he uses that tone. It saved his ass countless times for him not to listen to him now. Keeping a wary eye on Naruto, both men carefully make their way towards the entrance of the training ground. It takes all their self-control not to bolt when Naruto steadily prowls after them.

Meanwhile Kakashi had moved closer to Sasuke to give him his orders.

"Go home."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Sasuke glares at him and defiantly hisses, "I'm not going anywhere."

Kakashi glares back and growls, "You've caused enough problems tonight by not following orders earlier. You're to let us handle this and get your ass home."

"Naruto is pissed at Genma not me," Sasuke scoffs.

"This is Kyuubi's rage triggered by her anger," Kakashi pointedly explains. "So the fox is currently in charge. Naruto may have forgiven you, but Kyuubi is notorious for holding grudges and is not nearly as forgiving. Genma hasn't pissed off the Kyuubi like you have. So unless you want to guarantee the complete end of the Uchiha clan tonight, get your ass out of here."

The defiant look drops from Sasuke's face as his gaze shifts back over to Naruto who stopped moving to watch Genma and Raido leave. A red haze of foul chakra envelopes her. He can make out the long fox 'ears' twitching in all directions as the tail undulates behind her.

This isn't the first time he's seen her like this, but now he knows exactly what it means. Memories of their fight at the Valley of the End flood his mind and he swallows hard as the implications finally sink in. That was a particularly vicious battle and it's not likely the demon has forgotten. He also knows that as an Uchiha the Kyuubi is not fond of him, so it is quite probable if he sticks around he'll die.

Without looking at Kakashi, he nods his head and gets as far as ten steps toward the entrance before Naruto attacks without warning.

In a blur of motion she races across the field at him. Sasuke barely manages to leap out of the way, but is promptly caught off guard when she instantly appears in front of him and nails him with an uppercut to the chin that sends him airborne.

With a sadistic grin she crouches on her haunches to track his trajectory across the clearing. Yamato takes advantage of her distraction, causing wood pillars to burst from the ground in an attempt to subdue her.

Far too familiar with his technique, Naruto easily summersaults clear as they slam into the spot she just vacated. Red eyes glare at Yamato as low, warning growl rumbles from her throat.

Charging forward, she resumes her attack on Sasuke. Despite activating his Sharingan he barely manages to keep out of range of her slashing claws. She gets close enough to catch his clothes and rip tears in his shirt. He glances down briefly when she pauses long enough to watch him flip and leap away twice. It disturbs him greatly to note she slashed across the crotch of his jeans, creating an uncomfortably obvious horizontal tear not only in the pants, but a snag in his briefs. It only confirms that Naruto is merely toying with him.

Kakashi charges her with a chidori, forcing her to flip backwards out of the way and alight on top of the wooden post she was beating on earlier.

Too busy snarling and hissing at Kakashi standing several yards away with his chidori still raging around his hand, she fails to realize her mistake. Yamato uses the post to his advantage as thick vines and branches emerge from the wood, briefly securing her in place. Startled, she slashes at her restraints, but it's too late as pillars erupt from the ground, finally trapping her.

For a moment the entire post is completely obscured by the tangled, wooden mess. Having released his chidori, Kakashi calmly steps forward as Yamato releases the jutsu and an unconscious Naruto awkwardly topples off the post.

Catching her, Kakashi gently eases her onto the ground. Joining him, Yamato crouches down on the other side of her to assess her injuries.

Walking over, Sasuke stands close to Kakashi while looking down at Naruto's still form.

"I remember ordering you to go home," Kakashi states without looking up. Sasuke can hear the underlying bite in the deceptively calm tone as the jounin continues, "She won't be unconscious for long and it's possible seeing you so soon could trigger her again."

With grudging acceptance, Sasuke turns to walk away without another word.

He doesn't get far when Kakashi adds, "We will be discussing the importance of following orders at a more convenient time."

"Hai," Sasuke acknowledges without looking back and leaves the training ground.

"It's odd Naruto's broken nose hasn't healed yet," Yamato comments as he gently turns her face toward him into the beam of his flashlight. "The same goes for the bruise on her cheek where Genma backhanded her."

Kakashi nods just as Naruto begins stirring awake with a groan. She opens swelling eyes to look at Kakashi and Yamato in confusion before remembering what just happened.

Gently covering her face with her hands she mumbles, "Shit, I lost my temper didn't I?"

Smiling, Yamato tries assuaging her guilt. "You actually had it very well controlled until Sasuke got involved."

"I haven't lost control in years and it's stupid to let it happen now," Naruto protests. "I could've killed someone like last time."

"Last time doesn't count, Naruto. If you hadn't, we would've all died on that mission and the man you killed was collaborating with our enemies," Kakashi reminds her.

"Do you know why your nose hasn't healed yet, Naruto?" Yamato asks, distracting her.

Closing her eyes briefly she sighs heavily. "The fox is being an ass. It's my punishment for staying with Genma so long when it warned me to dump his ass a long time ago. It's bad enough I'm going to hear that over and over again for days, but I have to get it from the damn demon too," she grouses.

Yamato smirks as Kakashi gently grabs her chin and guides her face toward the light of his flashlight. "Your nose is too swollen now for us to take care of it, so you're going to have to go to the hospital."

"Just great," she drawls sarcastically. "That guarantees the entire village will know by sunrise."

Chuckling both men help her up. Once it's clear Naruto can move about on her own Kakashi turns to Yamato. "Go home and rest since you have a mission in the morning."

"I don't mind, sempai," Yamato replies.

"Knowing the type of missions Baa-chan likes to give you, you need to go home," Naruto mutters guiltily, sounding congested. Stepping forward, she hugs him. "Thanks for helping me. I'm sorry for being such a pain in the ass."

"Don't apologize, Naruto. None of this is your fault," Yamato assures her while returning her hug. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"Nah, I've got a hard core mother hen right here," she smirks, jerking her head toward Kakashi who rolls his eyes in response.

"Okay, then," Yamato agrees reluctantly. "I'll check on you when I return."

Parting ways at the entrance of the training grounds, Naruto and Kakashi walk to the hospital in silence. Glancing at her watch she's surprised it's barely eleven. It feels like it was much later. Lucky for them it's a slow night at the hospital when they arrive, so she got in to see a medic quickly.

Unfortunately said medic turned out to be Kagura, one of the flakiest, chattiest, gossipy medics in the place.

Naruto cringed when the bubbly medic steps into the exam room, knowing news of her injury will hit the street before morning. It's not that she doesn't like the younger medic. The petite, green haired woman has treated Naruto before for minor injuries, so she's definitely a capable medic. There are just some days like today when Naruto isn't in the mood for her overly cheerful, chirpy demeanor and her over eagerness to hear all the salacious details.

While examining her, Kagura asks the usual round of annoyingly obvious questions before finally getting down to business.

"Alrighty, Naruto, can you tell me what caused the injury?"

Deciding to keep it simple, Naruto explains, "I got caught up in an altercation between my boyfriend and another shinobi."

"Really? Who? Why were they fighting?" the medic asks in breathless excitement.

Naruto glares at the medic, tersely stating, "_You_ don't need to know, Kagura. I'll include it in the incident report I'll have to file with the Hokage later."

"Sorry, Naruto!" the medic chastised apologizes while blushing furiously. "I'm just asking."

She works to reset Naruto's nose quietly for a few minutes.

"They were fighting over you weren't they?" she eagerly asks, pausing in the treatment to clasp her hands together under her chin and squealing, "How romantic!"

Kakashi can't help chuckling as Naruto glares daggers at the oblivious medic.

"Oh my god! That is so sweet! I mean how many guys fight over girls nowadays? It's so chivalrous!" Kagura obliviously chatters on, not bothering to wait for a response as she finishes treating Naruto's nose.

Naruto only half listens as the medic switches to blathering on with her warnings and injury care. Everything else is more crap about how cool it is to have two men fighting over her.

The redhead's thoughts are occupied with how hellish the next few days will be. Kagura will certainly shoot off her mouth. Once it reaches the ears of everyone at the bar tonight they'll figure out most of what happened. She's not looking forward to the comments and gossip fueled rumors that are sure to spread.

It's only the fact Kagura has another patient to treat that spares Naruto from further torture. Escaping with Kakashi, they return to the apartment in silence.

Kakashi muses on the situation as their footsteps echo in the night. Although there's great potential to milk a few laughs, Kakashi knows Naruto wouldn't find any of it funny. He noticed that as jovial as she seemed earlier at the Shuriken while dressing the deer, much of it was forced. She didn't joke as much as she could have and was too quick to disappear, a clear sign she could no longer face the situation.

Despite not having much experience with break-ups due to the fact he never had anything resembling a relationship before, Kakashi certainly witnessed enough of them to know they tend to be more public and dramatic. There's usually a lot more shouting, shoving and crying. Sometimes there'd be a really entertaining catfight between the old girlfriend and the new one. Then usually the man or the woman would spend the next few days lamenting the loss of their relationship to anyone who'd listen.

Leaving out the fact her nose got broken and the demon cloak came out, Naruto's breakup with Genma was actually fairly tame. She certainly won't lament to anyone who'll listen about the end of the relationship. If anything, he might have to force her to talk about tonight. Knowing her, she'll avoid discussing it and hold it all in like she usually does.

It isn't long before they're walking through the front door.

"G'night, Kakashi," Naruto quietly mutters and without sparing him a glance, heads directly to her room.

With a resigned sigh Kakashi heads for his room, deciding to turn in because the following day looks like it'll be a long one.

* * *

**Shishou**- master. Tsunade is the master medic who taught Sakura.

**Fuck Tree**- In Bisbee, Ariz. there's a tree along the old highway that supposedly looks like two people fucking. I've driven by it, but I was driving up a very narrow, winding road with a steep drop with a friend who doesn't give you a chance to do much of anything. So I didn't get a chance to look at the tree long enough to get a good look or a picture. There was nowhere to park and we were already late for class.

Anyway, the tree is a purported lover's lane and supposedly the county sheriff's deputies have to cruise the tree every morning because people attach their undies to the tree.

**Ryo**- Old Japanese form of money that is used in the Narutoverse.

**Sempai**- mentor.

**Kai**- Japanese for "release." You see and/or hear this when a character is breaking a genjutsu, for example.

**Mokuton**- Wood release. Yamato possesses the rare ability to make wood.

* * *

_**A/N**_: Since I was on a writing roll I was able to get a chapter out much sooner than expected. Better than waiting months for one, huh? ;P

I had intended to post another accompanying one-shot showing what happened in the first Mizuki incident, but this came out first. I'll focus on the one-shot next before doing another chapter.

As always, many thanks to my readers and legit reviewers.


	14. New Realizations: Chapter 14

As usual Kakashi is up early before Naruto the next morning. Going through his normal routine, he glances up from fixing breakfast when she enters the room, doing a double take before releasing a long, low whistle.

Naruto's face is painfully swollen and she sports two real nice black and blue shiners. The bruise on her cheek isn't as dark as her eyes, but is a dark enough wine color to be noticeable.

Pointedly ignoring him, she moves over to the coffee pot to fix herself a cup.

"That looks painful," he comments as he resumes chopping the cilantro.

"Does it?" she asks with feigned innocence while pouring coffee into her cup. "I can't tell because of the percussion drum beating a throbbing rhythm in my face in time with the massive headache," she snaps sarcastically.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he mutters under his breath.

"In order to wake up on the wrong side you have to actually have fallen asleep," Naruto grouses over her shoulder.

"You didn't sleep?" Kakashi asks, pausing to scrutinize her in concern.

Turning around to face him, Naruto leans against the counter. "Nope. The pain meds did squat. I couldn't really lie on either side because that only made the throbbing worse. Lying on my back wasn't much better as it plugged up my sinuses, either making it hard to breathe or causing me to snore loudly enough to wake myself up."

Pausing, she takes a long draught of coffee. "I did okay sitting up and leaning against the wall, but every time I drifted off I'd slide forward, almost slamming down on my face again." Sighing deeply, she adds, "I'm hoping to catch a nap later to make up for the lack of sleep."

Plating their food Kakashi comments, "It'll have to be much later. A summons came from the Hokage's office before you came out."

Naruto closes her eyes and groans. "Shit. Baa-chan isn't going to send me out on a mission like this. That alone will piss her off and it'll be worse once she finds out what happened."

Pushing away from the counter, Naruto follows Kakashi out of the kitchen area over to the table. He sets their plates down and pulls out a chair for her before taking his seat.

"She may already know."

Naruto eyes him skeptically. "How?"

"Yamato had a mission this morning and may have already informed her before she could hear it from the grapevine."

"I forgot," she mumbles, closing her eyes briefly. "Better to have him tell it than to hear it from others."

"True," Kakashi agrees. "Aside from the summons, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Hide and nap."

"Hide?" he quirks a brow.

Naruto nods. "'Cause just about everyone who was at the bar last night is going to be nosing around for what happened after we left. I'm pretty sure they've guessed I busted Genma for cheating."

Scratching the back of his head Kakashi admits, "They know for sure because we forced Aoba to tell us what was going on."

Shaking her head and sighing in resignation Naruto continues eating in silence.

After breakfast both head for the Tower. She scared the shit out of Kakashi when she lost her footing on the rooftops a couple of times and nearly fell off. However, she insists on sticking to the roofs to avoid being seen and questioned about her appearance. That strategy works well until they enter the tower.

Since Tsunade got tired of her shinobi being lazy and sneaking in through her window, banning all entries that way unless it's a genuine emergency, Kakashi and Naruto have to walk through the tower.

Before they reach Tsunade's office they run into Iruka, causing his smile to drop along with the scrolls he's carrying. Stepping over the mess he gently grasps Naruto by the shoulders, demanding, "What happened to you?"

"A bad breakup," she smiles wanly. Reluctantly she quietly explains what happened the night before, including the latest fox cloak incident.

When she finishes, he gently engulfs her in a hug. "If you want to talk about it, find me, doesn't matter what I'm doing, day or night."

Pulling back, Naruto smiles reassuringly. "Thanks for not immediately declaring an insane urge to kill Genma."

"I'm not going to lie," Iruka admits with a grim smile. "I really want to do that, but I don't want to upset you."

"To be honest, right now it hurts too much to care. I just want to be left alone to sort things out."

Iruka nods his understanding and hugs her one more time.

"It'll be okay," he reassures her before releasing her so they can continue on to Tsunade's office.

The busty blonde is bent over signing several documents for a waiting and equally distracted Shizune when they step into the office. At the last one, Shizune gathers up the sheets and starts walking toward the door, dropping the entire pile when she takes a good look at Naruto.

Attracted by the noise, Tsunade looks up, her scowl turning fierce, demanding, "What the _fuck_ happened to you?

Sighing wearily as Shizune gathers up the scattered documents, Naruto details the events of the previous night. Kakashi rounds out the explanation by filling in any additional details Naruto wasn't present for.

When they finish, Tsunade growls, "Those two fucking bastards."

"It seems it would've been better if you had broken up with Genma sooner so none of this would've happened, Naruto," Shizune comments.

Naruto glares hard at the brunette, sarcastically replying, "My broken nose should be sufficient enough punishment for my stupidity in staying with him."

Shizune flushes in embarrassment, stammering out, "I'm sorry, that wasn't what I meant!"

"Just because you had a shitty night, gaki, doesn't mean you can take it out on others," Tsunade snaps.

Naruto's gaze drifts off to the side before sullenly looking back at them. "Sorry for snapping at you, nee-chan."

"It's okay," Shizune nods. "I better get going. Excuse me."

As Shizune leaves the office, Tsunade rubs a tired hand across her eyes. "This really screws up the mission I had ready for you. It was a two-man mission and now I'm going to have to give it to someone else."

"You could pair me with someone else," Kakashi points out.

"No," Tsunade refuses, dropping her hand from her face. "Not with someone gunning for Naruto. I need someone trustworthy around the gaki and after what he pulled last night I don't trust Sasuke with the job, not when he refuses to follow a direct order."

"Sorry, Baa-chan," Naruto mumbles

"It can't be helped," Tsunade waves off. "I will be making it very clear to Genma and Sasuke their actions are unacceptable." Rising from her seat, she gestures to the sofa off to the side. "Get your ass over here so I can examine you."

Naruto complies and holds still while glowing fingers aggravate her throbbing face.

"Who treated you?"

"Kagura," Naruto promptly replies.

"I'm going to kill that airhead," a scowling Tsunade growls.

"What's wrong, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asks, stepping closer to the sofa.

Blowing out a harsh breath she explains, "The twit didn't set Naruto's nose right. Probably too busy running off her mouth again," she grouses, rolling her eyes. "Now I'm going to have to rebreak Naruto's nose and reset it."

The redhead stares at her in horror, muttering, "No fucking way…"

Looking at her grimly, Tsunade nods.

Closing her eyes and dipping her head against the anger boiling to the surface, Naruto takes a very deep breath and releases it slowly. She tells herself if Baa-chan says she has to do it, it has to be done. She should've known better that even a broken nose couldn't be simple.

It takes a couple more deep breaths for Naruto to compose herself enough to ask quietly, "Can we just get it over with now?"

Relieved she already accepted the inevitable without argument, Tsunade explains, "We need to head over to the hospital or we'll get interrupted here. And the last thing we need is for one of our _favorite_ council members to walk in on us."

Rolling her eyes Naruto nods in agreement. Kakashi gently grasps her elbow and helps her to her feet before following Tsunade over to the hospital.

Keeping things low key Tsunade summons Shizune to assist her. As they prepare for the procedure, she asks, "What instructions did Kagura give you for care?"

"Not much," Naruto shrugs. "Between squealing about how romantic it was to have two guys fighting over me, she just said avoid bumping it and get some sleep."

A blonde brow twitches in irritation as Tsunade growls, "I'm going to kill the girl."

"If there's anything left I'd like to have a crack," Shizune drolly states.

"I may let you handle the whole thing," Tsunade replies while settling on a stool in front of Naruto.

The redhead sits at the edge of the exam table wearing a hospital yukata backward over her clothes. She has her arms through the sleeves, but doesn't bother tying it since it's purpose is to keep the front of her clothes clean.

"Okay, gaki," Tsunade begins. "Since your nose is already damaged, by rebreaking it I'll be causing more and you'll likely bleed a lot." Turning to address Kakashi, she adds, "You need stay because Naruto will probably be out of it from the pain and needs you afterwards." Refocusing on Naruto, she continues, "You are to stay home and rest and frequently apply ice packs for about fifteen minutes at a time. Sleep with your head elevated to keep the injury from swelling further and affecting your breathing."

After taking a few moments to absorb everything Tsunade said, Naruto growls, "You won't get a chance to kill that ditz Kagura because I'll do it first."

Tsunade smiles fondly. "Ready?"

"I'm ready, just not willing," Naruto sighs.

Raising her hands to either side of Naruto's nose, Tsunade adds, "Try not to move or I'll cause even more damage that might lead to surgery."

Naruto begins to nod again, but is startled when Kakashi grabs her hand.

He smiles at her. "Squeeze if the pain becomes too much."

Shizune stands on Naruto's other side, holding a large plastic dish under her nose to catch the blood. Once she sees everyone is in place, Tsunade directs a minute amount of chakra to her fingertips and with a quick jerk deftly breaks Naruto's nose with a loud crack.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Naruto barely chokes back a cry and holds her breath in an effort to ride out the agony. The pain is much worse than when Genma socked her last night. Kakashi's grunt of pain brings her back to awareness.

"Breathe, Naruto."

"Don't hold your breath, gaki."

Forcing herself to breathe, she eases up on Kakashi's hand while digging her nails deep into the palm of her left hand.

Suddenly, a strong wave of nausea overwhelms her. With a shudder the only warning, she vomits into the tray with a loud cough.

"It's okay, gaki, spit it out."

Coughing out more bile, she feels someone's hand gently but firmly pressing on her abdomen while another hand rubs soothing circles on her back. Finally she's able to stop vomiting and opens swollen, watery eyes to stare into the disgusting mess that was once the content of her stomach. Adding to the gross sight is the blood dripping from her nose.

"Are you done, gaki?"

Naruto hesitates before hoarsely replying, "Yeah, baa-chan."

Shizune immediately switches out the dish for another clean one. Naruto spits into it a couple of times to get rid of the acidic taste before Shizune hands her a glass.

"Swish the water around in your mouth before spitting it into the dish. Then sip to soothe the burning," the brunette instructs.

Wearily, Naruto complies before handing the glass back. Belatedly, she realizes Tsunade is holding the dish under her nose and Shizune is running around the room, so the one still holding their hand against her stomach is Kakashi.

"Are you ready for me to set your nose?" Tsunade asks.

"Yeah."

The blonde gently grasps her nose again and realigns it back into place. It's still painful, but after the initial break it's far more tolerable. She doesn't think it's possible, but her headache is even worse.

Tsunade knits the bone back together enough to start the healing process. "Okay, there's one more thing I've got to do before I can send you home. Your sinuses are plugged up with blood and mucous. To improve your breathing I'm going to clear it out." Tilting her head forward slightly, she warns, "It'll feel uncomfortable because I have to direct it through your nasal passages down into your mouth and it might cause you to gag. You'll likely bleed more once the obstruction is cleared, but in addition to helping you breathe easier it might ease your headache."

"Okay, let's finish this," Naruto agrees wearily.

Without further delay, Tsunade raises glowing hands to the bridge of her nose, lightly tracing across her cheekbones, back towards her ears and down to her jaw into her mouth.

It's strange and uncomfortable feeling stuff sliding through her head. When the first mass drops into the back of her mouth, Naruto chokes and gags, dissolving into a severe coughing fit until she spits the junk into the tray. With a disgusted look she notes that it's even grosser than the remnants of breakfast that made a return trip a few minutes ago.

Tsunade repeatedly guides more of the blockage out until her sinuses are completely clear. As predicted, Naruto's nose is bleeding like a sieve and Tsunade gently holds a damp towel in place to stem the flow until it finally stops.

Having noticed the deep gouges Naruto dug into her palm, Shizune takes the opportunity to treat the wounds. Because of the pain, Naruto dragged her nails from the heel of her hand until her fingertips were deeply imbedded into the center of her palm. At that moment, Shizune was certain the damage was serious enough, but not life threatening, so she merely uncurled Naruto's fingers enough to stuff a thick wad of gauze until she could heal it without interfering with Tsunade's work.

Kakashi watches the brunette treat Naruto's hand while he continues gently pressing against the redhead's stomach in case her nausea returned. His hand aches from her squeezing it in pain, but as nothing is fractured he can live with it.

"Why are you holding Naruto's stomach like that?" Tsunade asks while still holding the towel against Naruto's nose.

"My father used to do this whenever I got sick. The pressure actually feels good against a heaving stomach, almost calming it," he explains.

"It felt good," Naruto mumbles through the towel. "Sort of relaxing."

"I'll have to remember that," Tsunade mutters, lifting the towel away enough to check if Naruto's nose is still bleeding. Seeing it finally stopped, she orders Shizune, "Hand me another damp towel to clean off the blood."

With a clean towel, Tsunade gently cleans the blood from Naruto's face.

Minutes later she declares, "We're done."

Naruto sighs softly in relief at those words.

"Like I said," Tsunade's gaze intensifies. "Get plenty of rest and avoid all drama and stress for the next couple of days"

"Easy for you to say, but I'll try," Naruto retorts half-heartedly. "I might have to go into hiding from all the busybodies that'll come around to get the dirt on what happened."

Tsunade sighs, heavily. "Do what you have to, but keep me informed." Turning to Kakashi she orders, "Make sure Naruto rests. I'll be calling in Genma and Sasuke later today to discuss the proper behavior of leaf shinobi and to make it clear anything having to do with Naruto going into demon cloak mode is strictly forbidden. I'll be discussing the latter with Raido as well, but I know he's not stupid like the other two."

Kakashi smirks, admitting, "That should help with my own discussion with Sasuke about following orders from a superior."

Naruto tiredly adds, "I want to be a part of that discussion. Sasuke needs to realize what's at stake. Part of it has to do with minding his own damn business, but the rest involves my going into crazed fox mode."

"You aren't having that discussion today," Tsunade states tersely. "You probably feel as bad as you look and need to go rest."

Feeling too sick to argue, Naruto nods and pulls off the soiled yukata. With Kakashi's help, she slides off the table and follows Shizune out the door while Tsunade stays behind to scribble down some notes on her chart.

Kakashi gently guides her by the elbow down the hall. Up ahead they see Shizune stop to briefly talk to Jiraiya. Before either can react, the sannin sees them and approaches. His expression morphs from pleased to shocked as he takes in Naruto's appearance.

Finding his voice he asks, "Damn, what herd stampeded over you?"

"It's a long story, Ero-sennin," Naruto mumbles wearily.

Jiraiya studies her face a moment before suddenly busting out laughing. Pointing, he declares, "You look like Gaara's long lost, uglier twin sister!"

Glaring death at the old pervert, Naruto growls low in her throat, barely hearing Tsunade's voice from behind.

"Kakashi, catch her."

Naruto's world suddenly becomes unfocused and seeped in complete darkness.

Holding Naruto's limp form against him, Kakashi looks up at Tsunade closing in on them.

"I just hit Naruto with a mild sleep jutsu so she won't be tempted to kill the next idiot stupid enough to tease her about this right now," she explains, glaring pointedly at Jiraiya.

Nodding Kakashi gently hefts Naruto into his arms.

"The gaki looked like she needed a couple of laughs," Jiraiya protests. "What the hell happened anyway?"

Before turning and leaving, Kakashi smirks when Tsunade smacks Jiraiya hard on the back of the head.

"Quit being an insensitive jerk," she scolds while grabbing his long ponytail and dragging him out with her towards the Hokage Tower.

Minutes later Kakashi arrives at his front door with Naruto without further incident.

Gently easing Naruto's legs down, he fishes his key out just as Raido alights on the landing nearby.

"Need a hand, Kakashi?"

Nodding, Kakashi hands him the key before hefting Naruto back into his arms. Raido opens the door, allowing Kakashi to carry her into her room. With the other jounin's help, they prop her unconscious form up on several pillows and blankets before leaving her to rest.

"Want some tea?" Kakashi offers once they're back in the front room.

"Sounds good," Raido agrees.

Several minutes later when they both settle at the table Raido asks, "How is Naruto doing?"

Kakashi doesn't hesitate to fill him in on everything that happened after he and Genma left the training grounds last night.

Raido looks appalled at what Naruto had to endure. "Shit. It just went from bad to worse for her, didn't it?" he asks. Without waiting for Kakashi to answer, he continues. "After I got Genma home I strongly _suggested_ he disappear because there'll be a long line of people waiting to kick his ass."

"In all fairness," Kakashi points out, "Genma isn't solely to blame. He threw the punch that injured Naruto, but it was Sasuke getting involved that led to it happening in the first place. However, now that Tsunade knows the full story they'll both get admonished for it."

Raido snickers, "It's no less than they both deserve."

"You'll need to stop by Tsunade's office later today, by the way."

Blinking in confusion, Raido asks, "Why if she knows the full story?"

"She wants to remind you not to reveal to anyone that Naruto slipped into demon cloak mode," Kakashi explains. "She knows you won't say a word, but likes to make certain."

"I can't blame her, but I'll make sure to stop by and reassure the Godaime," Raido nods. "I know Naruto is separate from the demon, but that was my first time seeing it come out and I have to admit, it was terrifying."

"More so for Naruto," Kakashi quietly admits. "It's rare for her to lose her temper anymore, but it's been an emotional couple of days before discovering Genma's cheating and it was too much."

"It could've become much worse quickly, couldn't it?" At Kakashi's nod, Raido sighs, "I won't say anything. Naruto's done a damn good job keeping the demon locked up and deals with enough stupid ignorants, she doesn't need the mass hysteria that could occur should this get out."

"Thanks. Naruto will appreciate it."

"I better get going," Raido states, glancing out the window and gauging the time. "The sooner I see the Godaime the better."

Both men rise from their seats and head for the front door.

Pausing on the threshold, Raido asks, "I probably won't have a chance to see Naruto for a coupled of days, could you please remind her she has nothing to feel guilty about? Their relationship failed because of Genma, not her."

"I will," Kakashi agrees before closing the door.

With nothing better or more interesting to do, Kakashi decides to settle on the sofa for a nice afternoon in the company of his Icha Icha. However, not long after Raido left a knock on the door interrupts him. Glancing at the door in confusion, he shrugs and decides to ignore them, knowing they're not ANBU with a summons or someone he knows.

The intruder knocks more insistently, prompting him to scowl and reluctantly rise from the sofa. He didn't want whoever it was to become more of a nuisance and risk waking Naruto. Opening the door he's confused to see two chuunin he barely knows standing there in awe of him.

"Um, pardon our intrusion," one hesitantly begins. "May we see Naruto?"

Deciding to be polite for once, Kakashi replies, "I'm sorry, but she can't come to the door right now. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Oh," the other replies in disappointment before an idea lights up her features. "Yes, maybe you can. Do you know if she crippled Genma?"

"Yeah!" the other eagerly chimes in, asking, "How he was injured and how badly?"

Surprise at the odd questions quickly gives way to suspicion, prompting Kakashi's eye to narrow as he asks, "Why do you want to know?"

Emboldened, the male chuunin eagerly explains, "There's a betting pool at the Shuriken and the pot's pretty big! Everyone's anxious to know who called it."

Kakashi's deceptive smile and polite demeanor fool both as he informs them, "You're acting like filthy scavengers instead of leaf shinobi respectful of their comrades. If you or any of your other lowlife friends dare to come around again, I'll gladly reeducate you on the proper demonstration of respect for your ranking superiors. Understand?"

Paralyzed by the killing intent radiating off the seemingly happy legend, both gulp and frantically nod their heads.

"Good," he chirps before promptly shutting the door on them.

Kakashi repeats the exact routine three more times with several other ninja barely acquainted with Naruto or Genma. He had to summon Pakkun to deliver a message to Shikamaru to see about getting his dad to reign in Shigure and the idiotic betting pool he started.

Once Shikamaru knew the entire story he sent Kakashi his reply via Pakkun, promising he'll do everything he can to put a stop to this nonsense for Naruto.

After dismissing Pakkun, he settles back onto the sofa and is barely getting into the story when another knock sounds at the door. With a vicious glare at the offending door, Kakashi stalks over certain the ranks will be down a shinobi or two. He's stunned, but no less irritated to find Sasuke on his doorstep.

"May I speak with you for a minute?" Sasuke asks, ignoring Kakashi's irritated glare.

Stepping aside, Kakashi allows him inside, but points out, "Now is not a good time for visiting, Sasuke."

"I wanted to see how Naruto is doing and maybe talk to her."

Still pissed at his behavior the night before Kakashi succinctly assures him, "She's fine, but needs to rest."

"I didn't come to argue," he sighs in frustration. "I just wanted to see for myself that she was okay after what Genma pulled."

"What about what you pulled, Sasuke? You're partially responsible for Naruto getting injured."

Sasuke narrows his eyes at the jounin, snapping, "Genma struck her not me."

"True," Naruto's voice startles them, "But that wouldn't have happened if you weren't fighting like common thugs."

Both men turn to see Naruto leaning wearily in the doorway of the hallway.

Sasuke momentarily stares in shock then recovers his senses enough to growl, "I'm going to hurt Genma."

"No you won't!" Naruto snaps. Before he retorts she walks over saying, "It's none of your business and you've got some nerve coming around with this attitude. It's bad enough you insulted and belittled me, saying, as usual, I was doing a lousy job of handling things." She stops right in front of Sasuke, glaring hard as her voice drips with sarcasm, "Gee, wasn't it enough Genma humiliated me by fucking some bimbo in the park? Must not have been if one of my best friends thinks I'm too incompetent to even manage my life."

"That's not what I meant," Sasuke protests.

Promptly cutting him off with a wave of her hand she tersely states, "Right now, there is nothing you can say that I want to hear. You ignorantly exacerbated a situation that was actually still under control. Even worse, you deliberately ignored a direct order of a superior ranking officer. You're a Leaf shinobi and we both outrank you, you do what we say when we say it."

Stepping closer, Naruto's voice drops, "You have no idea how close you came to dying last night or the massive destruction that would've resulted had Kakashi and Yamato not gotten me under control."

Watching his face as her words sink in Naruto releases a harsh breath, ordering, "Get out. We'll talk more in a couple days, but right now I'm not in the mood to explain anything to you. Baa-chan wants to see you in her office immediately. I suggest you do it to demonstrate you can still follow orders."

Sasuke glares at her, but acquiesces with a nod, turning on his heel and leaving.

Closing the door after Sasuke, Kakashi turns to watch Naruto head over to the sofa and sink into the cushions. Leaning her head back, she closes her eyes as he wanders over and sits next to her, mimicking her position.

"I didn't think we were talking loud enough for you to hear."

Without opening her eyes she replies, "You weren't. A half hour ago Konohamaru stopped by my window after hearing about what happened last night."

"I'm surprised you didn't throw him off the ledge."

"I was sorely tempted to, but he's only a chuunin and I'm not sure he can even handle that fall sober, especially if I knock him senseless first." Smiling at the sound of Kakashi chuckling, she continues, "I chased him off with the promise of giving him the whole story at a later date. It probably helped that I looked like shit while saying I didn't feel well."

"Probably," Kakashi agrees.

"Not more than ten minutes later some jounin I barely know follows Konohamaru's example and asked if I killed Genma." Feeling Kakashi shift next to her, she finally opens her eyes to look at his angry face. "I take it you know what's going on? The bastard was awfully insistent."

With a frustrated sigh Kakashi explains, "Apparently Shigure kicked off a betting pool over your breakup and the pot has gotten big. I already sent a message to Shikamaru to deal with his cousin."

Naruto sighs and closes her eyes again. "I chased off the jounin with the promise of sticking a rasengan in a very uncomfortable place and if that weren't enough, I'd ask my roommate to come talk to him personally." Peeking back over at Kakashi, she quips in mock seriousness, "I think you've got a scary reputation or something because that jounin sure ran awfully fast."

Both chuckle before Naruto adds, "About fifteen minutes before Sasuke showed up, it was a chuunin's turn to knock on my window." When Kakashi starts growling, she holds up a finger, "Wait, it gets better. The moment I pulled open the curtain the idiot blinded me with the flash of his camera."

Without opening her eyes Naruto feels the intensity of Kakashi's glare. Ignoring him, she continues, "When I could see well enough to open the window to ask what the fuck the idiot was doing, he had the nerve to ask what I did to Genma. Since he asked so nicely, I smiled and beckoned him closer to whisper it in his ear. After all, he seemed so eager for the inside scoop and I told him it wouldn't do him any good for anyone else to overhear. When he leaned in close I grabbed the camera and shoved him off the ledge before slamming the window shut."

When she holds the camera up as proof Kakashi says, "That's my girl."

Grinning with her eyes still closed she muses, "I was sure you'd have heard the window slam shut, but that must've been when Sasuke arrived. So when I heard his voice I was so pissed by then I decided to take my frustration out on someone who thoroughly deserved it."

"Understandably justified," Kakashi agrees. "How are you feeling?

"Like crap," Naruto replies. "And it's not going to get better with all these idiots coming around."

"There really isn't anywhere we can go and hide in this village. We could try camping in the forest, but they'll try tracking us. That mission this morning would've been the perfect escape."

When Naruto remains quiet, Kakashi opens his eyes and looks over to see her staring at the ceiling, thinking.

"What's wrong?"

Her head shifts to scrutinize him for a moment. "I know a place we can go hide for a couple of days, but you've got to swear not to tell anyone about it, not even Iruka."

"Why not Iruka?" he eyes her incredulously.

Looking away guiltily she reluctantly explains, "It's my secret haven to go think when things are bad or to think about things I don't want to share with anyone and I don't want Iruka to know where to find me. It's my place to go when I'm really stressed."

Kakashi lets the silence stretch out when she pauses.

"I honestly don't want to share it with you," she reluctantly admits, "but it's not fair for you to deal with this shit surrounding Genma and I. So if you promise not to rat me out, you can come. Otherwise, we'll just have to keep dealing with these morons for the next couple of days."

Kakashi groans at the prospect and considers the situation. She has dealt with more emotional garbage over the last few days than is reasonable; she needs to rest. He'll also end up killing someone over this idiotic betting pool. So, for the safety of everyone involved it's probably for the best to comply with her wishes and go into hiding.

"It'll stay a secret," he agrees.

Naruto sighs in relief. "Thank you. We'll have to rough it, but it's secure and there's a fresh water source nearby. Best of all no one knows about it."

Intrigued, Kakashi helps her to her feet and they gather their gear, planning how to sneak past anyone who might be waiting outside to badger them for information.

"Do you think we should wait until nightfall, Kakashi?" Naruto asks while stuffing her pack.

"I don't think either of us can tolerate any more idiots disturbing our peace until then," Kakashi muses from the kitchen area. "I think that last one made twenty-two."

"Fuck," she breathes. "You're right. Okay, the sooner the better. I think we're going to have use clones as distractions."

"We'd only need a couple. Too many and someone will notice."

Still feeling sick, Naruto takes a breath and creates one at a time so as to not overtax her system. It takes some effort for her to make them uninjured to confuse their watchers. She got really dizzy after creating one and both the clone and Kakashi have to help her over to the sofa so she won't collapse. After several minutes she pulls herself together enough to create another, worsening her dizziness and causing her to break out in a cold sweat.

"Don't create any more," Kakashi orders. "Two should provide a sufficient enough distraction."

"Okay," she agrees reluctantly. She seriously doubts she can handle a third.

Kakashi puts the two clones to work helping him finish getting everything packed into scrolls.

"We should probably lay low for three or four days," Kakashi states as they work. "A snowstorm is expected to hit during that time, but we have the gear to weather it."

"Besides," Naruto wearily assures him, "We aren't going to be that far from the village. We'll be camping in the western forest, but it's a quick sprint back if we run into any trouble."

An hour later they're finally ready. Naruto still isn't feeling well, but insists they go. The frequency of visitors wanting the dirt only increased as time passed.

Kakashi creates a couple of regular clones to accompany Naruto's shadow clones, wanting to reserve as much chakra as possible just in case. Turning off all the lights, they silently moved onto the balcony since the late afternoon sun cast it deep in shadow. As an extra precaution, Naruto wraps her head in a dark scarf, completely covering her hair.

One pair of clones left through the front door and head toward the market district. The other pair sneaks out through Kakashi's bedroom window. Then Kakashi activates the wards on the apartment before they head towards the forest among the shadows, moving swiftly, but cautiously.

Their caution is rewarded when they realize they picked up a tail that wasn't fooled by their clones. Their shadow is highly skilled because they can't manage shake them. They're further hampered by the fact Naruto is feeling too sick to enhance her senses and just can't move as deftly as she normally does.

Kakashi makes her wait in the shadows of the rooftop of a large apartment building. It's ideal because it has it's own water tower and the rooftop clotheslines are full of laundry, giving her plenty of hiding places while he deals with their tail.

As she waits, Naruto is grateful for the brief pause because the short time they've been out already has worn her out. Her musings are cut short and her cry cut off when a strong hand covers her mouth and an arm wraps around her waist effectively pinning one arm to her side.

Struggling against her captor, she reaches down with her free hand to grab a kunai when a familiar voice stops her cold.

"What are you doing Gai?" Kakashi asks in exasperation.

Gai promptly releases Naruto so she can turn around and see him.

Wincing at her injuries he then quickly apologizes, "I am sorry for startling you, Naruto-chan, but I did not want you to hurt yourself by trying to fight me off." Turning to Kakashi, he explains further. "Ino sent me over to check on Naruto-chan. I knew something was up when you sent out clones before sneaking out and I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Leaning heavily against the wall, Naruto slides down to sit on the rooftop. She props an elbow on a knee and cradles her forehead in her hand while they talk.

Kakashi sighs in resignation, knowing the other jounin won't leave until they give him an explanation. However, they can trust Gai and he briefly explains what's going on and why they're going into hiding.

Gai nods in understanding. "There is no way for Naruto-chan to properly recover if she is constantly harassed over a bet. You certainly cannot hide among your friends because they will be harassed when she cannot be located at home. However, I will spread the word among our trusted comrades so when these people do start coming around they will be in for a very rude wake up call, especially if they knock on Anko or Iruka's door."

Kakashi and Naruto both chuckle.

"Thanks, Gai," Naruto smiles.

"Have you notified the Hokage yet?" he asks Kakashi.

"Not until we get to where we're going."

Gai nods again and claps Kakashi hard on the shoulder, declaring, "You should get going so Naruto-chan can recover quickly. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can return so we can hold our next challenge!"

Gai ignores Kakashi's murderous glare to flash his famous smile and give him the thumbs up before disappearing from sight.

As Kakashi glares after Gai, Naruto muses, "A challenge is the least you can do for his help in letting everyone know about this mess. Everyone already wants to lynch Genma, but add on a stupid betting pool, well, I pity anyone who dares ask them for the inside scoop."

Kakashi nods. "Are you up to continuing?"

"No," she admits honestly. "But I sure as hell not going to stick around."

Deciding against arguing, Kakashi extends a hand and helps her to her feet. They maneuver through the lengthening shadows of the village until they finally reach the forest edge.

Taking the lead, Naruto follows a convoluted path to a deep stream, walking the banks until they reach the waterfall that feeds it. They don't immediately approach the waterfall until they verify no one has followed them. When they approach, Kakashi notes the water is emerging from the solid overhang of a stone cliff, indicating an underground source. The rock outcropping gently curves upward vertically from the ground on both sides before sharply tapering off at the top into the mountain to merge seamlessly with the rest of the rock face.

At the base, the rock outcropping bulges around and away horizontally for several meters. Looking away from this formation in both directions, the undulating vertical cliffs appear smooth with no visible cave entrances to mar the surface.

With the long shadows of the late afternoon sun he could be mistaken, though. Looking back at Naruto curiously, Kakashi wonders where the hell her secure haven could be, underground?

Ignoring his confused expression, Naruto crosses the stream and walks along the narrow bank hugging the cliff. When she reaches the pool at the base of the waterfall she stops and leans in closer to his ear.

"Be careful because the rocks are slick from the water spray."

Kakashi looks at her then at the waterfall, wondering what the hell they are doing. His reverie is broken as Naruto jumps onto a large boulder edging the pool off to the side of the waterfall. Leaning forward to press her palms flat against the rock face behind the waterfall, she steps wide from the boulder with one foot before completely stepping off. Hugging the wall she carefully shuffles through a narrow open space behind the waterfall.

Mimicking her movement, Kakashi shuffles along until he joins her to stand on flat piece of rock with barely enough room for the two of them to stand on. They are in a small alcove behind the waterfall that is in no way visible from the outside, leaving him wondering how she discovered all this.

Leaning in again to his ear, she warns, "It gets a little trickier from here."

Nodding, he watches as she sets her hands and feet against the rock walls of the narrow space they're standing on. Once she has a secure grip she looks up and begins making her way up, using her hands and feet to walk up. He notices she's not using chakra, but understands if she did she'll make herself dizzy again.

Kakashi watches her maneuver over a boulder partially blocking the narrow space overhead before she completely disappears from his sight. Giving her a moment to clear the obstruction, he sets his hands and feet before following, except he uses chakra to secure his grip. The space around the bulge of the boulder is not as narrow as it looks and he's able to use the top of the bulge to give himself better leverage as he continues up through the narrow twisting space.

Naruto partially sits on a boulder nearby as Kakashi emerges into an open space. Looking around, he takes everything in with amazement.

It's a decent sized clearing abutting up against a concave section of the mountainside. The stream feeding the waterfall below them burbles out from a small cavern located about 30 meters from them, running parallel to the mountain.

A small strip of land separates the stream from the outermost edge of the clearing, which is a solid rock wall approximately four meters high, curving slightly inward at the top edge.

Between the stream and the mountain lay a nice smooth expanse of soil large enough to build a decent sized home with enough room for a yard. In the nearest corner where he stands lay a tangled pile of dead trees. In the opposite corner are five large trees gnarled by the elements. Three of the trees grow bunched up together and the other two spaced further away.

With the main body of the mountain continuing it's ascent far above them, Naruto is more than correct. It's a secure location perfect for hiding away from the world.

"Night will fall soon and we've gotta get camp set up," Naruto reminds him. Raising a hand, she points toward the trees. "We can set the tent in the space between the trees. With the expected storm it'll probably get very windy up here and we can lash the tent to the trees for additional support."

Kakashi nods and follows her across the clearing.

Naruto attempts to help him set up the tent, but is promptly steered with a firm grip on the shoulders by one of his clones away from the work area.

The clone forces her to sit down on a slight grassy slope nearby and firmly orders, "Rest."

She blinks stupidly after the clone returns to Kakashi's side to help him. Hell, she didn't even see him create the damn things, but there's another clone already working with him. However annoyed she is at the man, she already feels relaxed just being here.

Gazing around for something to do that won't get her in trouble with Kakashi or one of his clones, she spies the pile of broken trees, realizing they have to get a fire started soon. On a previous visit she broke up some of the dead branches and left them for that reason. She even cleaned up a very nice section of a tree trunk for sitting on.

Climbing to her feet she walks over and within moments finds what she's looking for and eases down on one knee to gather some wood into her arms. She has to pause and close her eyes briefly against a wave of dizziness before climbing to her feet. After dumping the load she returns to grab more wood. Mentally she notes that she'll have ask Kakashi to store some in a scroll for later because once the storm hit it'll be hard to dry any for a fire.

On her third trip she tries dragging over the tree trunk. She has to stop and rest for a moment because she's already feeling worn out again. It isn't so much heavy as awkward, but since she's not feeling well it feels like it weighs a ton.

"What are you doing?"

She nearly crushes her foot dropping the damn thing when Kakashi's angry voice startles her.

Busted, she smiles sheepishly. "Setting things up for a fire."

Growling, he grabs her by the arm and drags her back over to the slope. Forcing her to sit down again he firmly orders, "Stay."

With the help of a clone, he retrieves the log with the other clone following close behind with more wood.

As they set the log up near her, Naruto glances over and sees the tent is already set up and secured to the trees.

The deepening shadows of the mountainside blankets the clearing in inky darkness, bringing a sharp chill to the air. Naruto searches for her rucksack and brings out her ANBU cloak, wrapping herself in it before settling on the ground again to lean against the log.

Kakashi already built a fire and is preparing dinner. Neither speak, simply enjoying the quiet solitude in each other's company and the gentle voice of the breeze against the mountainside.

She has no idea when she drifted off, but finds herself being gently shaken awake by Kakashi. After he hands her a plate of food, she groggily eats as he settles next to her with his own plate.

"I sent Pakkun to notify Tsunade of the situation," Kakashi states after a few minutes. "I included the camera as evidence of what's going on and the names of the shinobi bugging us so far. Her reply was a succinct assurance she'll deal with the situation, but Pakkun said she growled worse than a bitch in heat not yet ready to mate."

Naruto chokes on her food before finally breaking out in a laugh.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asks, amusement coloring his voice.

She nods before hoarsely replying, "Pakkun better not ever let Baa-chan find out he said that or you'll be down a nin dog."

"Assuming she could catch him," Kakashi muses. "I also sent Pakkun to visit Gai and let him know we arrived here safely. Gai replied he's already working on spreading the word, so by the time we get back this nonsense should be over."

Naruto sighs in relief as Kakashi serves them both more food.

Settling down next to her again Kakashi adds, "Tsunade sent Genma and Raido out on the mission she wanted us to take this morning."

Naruto stops eating to gape at him stunned.

Kakashi continues, "She dressed Genma down royally for unbefitting conduct because he didn't have enough self-control to avoid getting into a brawl with Sasuke. She also got after his ass for engaging in sex in a public park instead of keeping his pants zipped up long enough to reach somewhere private. She sent him on the mission to get him out of the village until things cooled down, but since it required a two-man team she had to ask Raido to go too. Apparently Raido wasn't too happy about it, but Tsunade explained that right now he was the only shinobi that could tolerate working with Genma and who wasn't involved in Shigure's betting pool."

"I'm going to have to treat Raido to dinner or something for his trouble," Naruto mumbles.

"It should be fancier than ramen to make up for that," he suggests helpfully, prompting Naruto to playfully nudge him.

Reaching over he musses up her hair before continuing, "Sasuke apparently did follow orders and went to see Tsunade after stopping by to see us."

Gaping in disbelief, Naruto mutters, "Will wonders never cease?" Immediately corrects herself, she adds, "He does follow orders when he's not personally involved. In his mind he mistakenly thought he was personally involved."

"Tsunade definitely dressed him down for that and for fighting with Genma," he points out. "Her main concern was making sure he didn't get spiteful and let it slip out you went into demon cloak mode. Apparently Jiraiya was also there and explained what could've happened if your transformation had gone beyond one tail. He told Sasuke if he didn't believe them to ask Sakura about how destructive you became when you faced off against Orochimaru on the Tenchi Bridge in Kusagakure. Both Sannin explained if word gets out that you develop a demon cloak when you lose your temper it will set off a panic that will lead to your death. Apparently he hadn't realized how precarious your situation is."

Naruto sighs, "It doesn't matter whether Sasuke realizes it or not, he wouldn't have told anyone about it. He may have felt entitled to get involved in my fight with Genma, but he'd feel it's nobody else's business."

"True, but it's obvious we've a lot to talk about with him when we get back."

Naruto simply nods in agreement.

Noticing she finished eating, Kakashi collects her plate and starts cleaning up.

"Hey! I'm not an invalid!" Naruto protests. "At least let me clean up!"

Smiling, he cheerfully states, "If you move to do something other than to go to the bathroom or go to bed, I will hog-tie you to the log until bedtime."

When she narrows her eyes and growls, he leans forward and lightly pats her head. "Good girl."

As he moves off to finish cleaning up, she sulkily pulls her cloak about her shoulders tighter and stares into the fire trying to think of other things besides the events of the last few days.

* * *

That night Sakura has to pay Danzo another visit. She hates making so many frequent visits, but he prefers to be updated immediately on any new developments.

She already has too much shit on her plate and would've rather sent an encrypted message than come over this late, but he constantly goes on about messages getting intercepted. As it is, he's going bitch about the late hour. However, she was busy with her other assignment, maintaining a relationship with that dimwit Ritsu.

Grudgingly she admits it's a ridiculously easy assignment, but it'd be a lot better if he were at least good in bed. She feels like she's initiating a complete virgin every time they have sex and she isn't even showing him a quarter of what she knows. However, she's afraid of scaring him off if they get too kinky and that would definitely piss Danzo off.

Entering his study, his voice calmly admonishes, "The hour is rather late, is it not?"

Rolling her eyes she bites out, "Trust me, I'd rather be sleeping right now."

Danzo doesn't comment further as she steps closer to his desk and plops into a chair.

"Anyway, I've got quite a few updates for you."

Without further preamble Sakura details Naruto's break-up with Genma plus all the gossip surrounding it. She also informs him of Naruto losing control and the demon cloak slipping out as well as the dressing down both Sasuke and Genma received for their part in the incident. She then explains the suggestions she made to the others about helping Naruto find an appropriate man in keeping with the ones she planted with Sasuke about dating the baka.

"Interesting the Uchiha is interested in the Jinchuriki," Danzo muses after a few minutes. "I never considered the possibility of the two becoming romantically involved, but it does offer some interesting prospects with the potential of future offspring out of the pairing. However, that is only a possible alternative for future. My plans are flexible to adjust for such contingencies."

"I was thinking we can manipulate the situation so when we kill the bitch, we can pin it on that whore Genma," Sakura suggests. "However, it'll be a lot easier to off her if we let it slip into the gossip grapevine that Naruto becomes a demon when angry and it happened right in the village."

Danzo carefully mulls over her words. "Both scenarios work well in deflecting all suspicion of ROOT involvement. However, I do not want to incite a mob riot that may lead to the Jinchuriki's death. I do not believe the atmosphere is right to topple Tsunade-hime as well and allow me to step in her place. She is still too powerful and may be able to save the vessel. Even if the vessel still died, there would not be enough backlash to finish off the old whore either. Tsunade-hime would not rest until she uncovered whoever was responsible for the vessel's death and that is one possibility I am not willing to risk."

"The situation with Shiranui holds far more potential," he continues thoughtfully. "There are enough people angry with him that no one would likely question his guilt. I feel part of the reason all attempts at killing the vessel have been unsuccessful is because there is always an ally around to aid her. He saved her from Sai's second attempt; however, he is no longer her boyfriend. The only one left is Kakashi. He needs to be removed from the equation. Not killed, only incapacitated. As long as he's capable he'll do everything he can to protect her."

"Incapacitating him is fine except he's very strong and smart," Sakura huffs. "And Tsunade keeps them together as much as possible on missions for Naruto's protection. Since they're living together they're practically together all the time."

Danzo considers the problem. "It is difficult to maintain vigilance constantly. It can be arranged for Kakashi to be sent out on a long solo mission only he can do. Tsunade will not worry if the vessel is shadowing her to learn the duties of Hokage. By then Sasuke will be back in Tsunade's good graces and allowed to act as Naruto's bodyguard. If he is not, planting the suggestion in Koharu or Homura's ear should take care of the problem. They are still sympathetic toward the Uchiha and would think it is a good demonstration of faith to have him protect Naruto."

"Let's not forget the baka is very forgiving and will go to bat again for Sasuke," Sakura points out.

"Yes," Danzo nods his approval. "Once everything is in place we will be in a position to take out the vessel and pin it on Genma's jealous rage. Do what you can to set up the situation accordingly."

As an afterthought he points out, "Sasuke is very proud and may not like being scolded for defending Naruto when he believes he was in the right. So it may be time to offer him some assistance and friendly advice. I will handle that."

Knowing she's dismissed, Sakura disappears from the office, leaving Danzo alone to contemplate his next move.

* * *

_**A/N**: That, my friends, is an early Christmas present. Unless you're Jewish, atheist, agnostic or non-Christian, then in that case you can consider it a New Years present._

_However, that can't apply to those folks who only celebrate the Chinese New Year, sooooo, I guess 'Happy Winter Solstice' applies, I think. ;P  
_

_I haven't completed the next accompanying one-shot I'm working on yet, so I decided to go ahead and get another chapter out. I write the one-shots to stand on their own anyway, so they're not imperative to the plot. They're merely extra baggage I trimmed up and stored away for later use._

_Hope you guys enjoy and thank you all for reading._


	15. New Realizations: Chapter 15

_**A/N**__: I've also posted another accompanying one-shot titled __Scattered Leaf Piles: Darkness & Betrayal__. It's a side story fitting with chapters 11 & 12. It was complicated and hard to write because of the dark subject matter, so I wasn't able to get it out at the same time I published those chapters. It's basically my version of the original Mizuki incident and how it shaped Naruto for this story._

_Anyway, enough of my yammering and on with the story!_

* * *

Night passes uneventfully on the mountainside for Kakashi and Naruto, which is a refreshing change. Rarely are they in a secure location with the freedom from keeping their guard up all the time.

Neither speaks much. Naruto periodically applies a towel soaked in the cold stream water to the swelling around her nose. Meanwhile, Kakashi contentedly sits in silence. Both simply enjoy the other's company until they turn in for the night.

With her head elevated Naruto sleeps solidly, only waking up once to her own snoring. Feeling the blockage weighing heavily in her sinuses behind her nose she sits up and reaches for her makeshift spittoon, which is an old plastic container with a lid. With a prolonged snort followed by the usual coughing fit she dislodges the gooey mass into the container.

Closing the container and setting it aside she isn't surprised to feel the blood begin to flow over her upper lip. Tsunade warned she'd keep getting periodic nosebleeds because of all the inflamed sinus tissue. She assured Naruto that as long as the bleeding stopped within a reasonable amount of time there was nothing to worry about.

"Need help stopping the bleeding?" Kakashi's voice pierces the pitch darkness.

"Nah," she mumbles around the kerchief pinched over her nose. "Sorry for waking you."

"Sounded painful."

"Wasn't too bad. Just uncomfortable."

"All right," he acquiesces, allowing the silence to stretch out again.

A few minutes later Naruto pulls the kerchief away from her nose. When she doesn't feel any more blood oozing out, she lies back down. Getting comfortable she closes her eyes and drifts back to sleep.

* * *

Kakashi rouses early the next morning thanks to the mildly diffused sunshine burning brightly through the canvas. Angling his head he looks over to Naruto. Easing into a sitting position he shifts closer to examine her. Satisfied she's resting comfortably he eases out of his bedroll and slips out of the tent.

Gazing into the red hued sky of early morning, he determines there will be a storm later. Sighing in acceptance he walks over to the dormant fire and makes something to eat while mentally planning his preparations.

After eating he cleans up and checks on Naruto. Seeing she's still dead to the world he smiles and backs out of the tent, heading toward the pile of dead trees he noted last night. Getting to work he cuts plenty of firewood, storing it within scrolls.

It isn't even mid morning when he finishes. He considers sitting back and reading, but opts to wander the clearing instead.

It's definitely a nice, secure refuge with plenty of space for developing and practicing jutsu. Exploring the mountainside he finds several well-hidden cave entrances. If the openings are big enough, he only ventures in a few steps before exiting.

Once his curiosity is sufficiently satisfied, he eventually settles back against one of the trees near the tent to read while waiting for Naruto to get up. He understands why Naruto wanted to keep this place a secret. Admittedly it's very relaxing and if he had found it first, he would've been just as reluctant to share it.

* * *

Naruto doesn't emerge from the tent to squint up at the sun until noon. Frowning, she wanders over to join Kakashi by the campfire.

"Sleep well?" he asks while continuing to prepare lunch.

"Too well, apparently," she grouses, settling against the log. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"You obviously needed the sleep," he shrugs. "You didn't get much the night before. Besides, it's not like we have any pressing engagements. We are hiding out after all."

"True," Naruto agrees grudgingly before adding, "But I could've been doing something more constructive than sleeping half the day away."

"Like what, train? A little out of the question since you're still healing from a broken nose and hypothermia."

Naruto opens her mouth to retort, but closes it. There really isn't anything more constructive she could be doing. Still feeling tired she drops the topic and settles for watching Kakashi instead.

"So what've you been up to all morning?" she asks several minutes later while they eat.

"Exploring," he replies. "I found a few cave entrances. A couple are large enough to enter."

"Yeah, I know about those. Cool, huh?"

"Interesting enough to encourage exploration," he agrees. "Have you explored them before?"

"A little," she shrugs. "My demonic pain in the ass warned me not to poke around too much 'cause they're too dark and treacherous to explore alone without the right skill or equipment."

"The fox knows?" Kakashi asks, gaping at her in surprise.

His former student nods. "I asked about them on a previous visit. This is after we actually started talking instead of threatening each other," she quips. "Anyway, she said this mountain used to be one of her lairs."

"She?"

Naruto stops to frown at Kakashi. "Yeah, well, I think so, anyway."

"I understood chakra demons are genderless," he points out, arching a brow.

"How the fuck do I know?" Naruto snaps. "I'm a girl, so I assume it's a girl. And who the fuck cares? I'm not going to try flipping her over to check and I'm not going to ask."

"It's not important, but you've only referred to the fox as 'it' or something gender neutral. This is the first time I've heard you refer to it as a 'she'."

Naruto blinks in surprise before scowling. "Okay, so I'm referring to the walking rug as a girl now. Whatever. So do you want to hear about the caves or what?" she asks peevishly.

Kakashi briefly closes his eye and angles his head in acquiescence, silently encouraging her to continue.

"Anyways," she huffs, "_**He**_r main den is located several kilometers away toward Suna near River Country, but she also had several smaller ones scattered throughout her territory. In fact, this clearing used to be a cave. The passage that leads deeper into the mountain used to be where the stream emerges from that small cavern. It just got blocked up by tons of debris when it collapsed and created the waterfall at the mouth of the stream," she explains, pointing over to the other side of the clearing.

Fascinated Kakashi states, "I never heard of an earthquake collapsing a cave like this."

"It wasn't an earthquake," Naruto shakes her head. "It collapsed during a battle the Kyuubi fought against another demon encroaching on her territory, a badger, I think. Kyuubi dodged one of the badger's attacks and it hit the mountain, pretty much blowing away most of the face and causing the cave to collapse."

Gesturing to the cliff above them she points at a row of horizontally striped indentations. "Those were caused by one of her claws when she braced for a counter attack."

Naruto then points to the pool beneath the cavern opening and waterfall. "That pool is really another paw indentation."

"Sounds like one hell of a battle," Kakashi muses.

"It really changed the landscape," she agrees. "Kyuubi says there were at least two other mountains that used to be a part of this range, but they were obliterated in the fight. Two underground rivers surfaced and merge into one, which eventually resulted in that really deep gorge bordering the far side of Konoha."

"When did all this happen?"

Naruto shrugs. "The walking flea circus doesn't live by a calendar. She knows it was long before the first humans set foot on this continent. She just cares about remembering the battle itself, which she obviously won."

"Obviously," Kakashi deadpans. "That's all most victors care about anyway."

"Yep, but it isn't just the Kyuubi bragging. It had to be a pretty spectacular fight to change the landscape so dramatically."

Kakashi considers her words before another thought occurs to him. "How did you find this place? Did the Kyuubi tell you about it?"

Naruto shakes her head. "Found it by accident on my eighth birthday. I was doing my usual birthday ritual, 'Drunk Dodge.' It was only a handful of drunks that year, which probably was because of how hard the Third came down on the group that tried barbequing me the year before."

She pauses to shift and set her plate aside before settling back in to continue her story.

"Anyway, I couldn't stay hidden inside my place because it had been trashed and all the locks were busted. Didn't have anywhere else to go so I went to hide in the forest. Unfortunately I was being tracked by two shinobi who were pretty good. I'd never been to this part of the forest before. Well," she admits sheepishly, "I'd never been that deep into it before, so in reality I was lost."

"It was late afternoon when I found the waterfall and saw the boulder. Thought it might be a good hiding place. When I crossed the stream to check it out I looked over at the waterfall and noticed the little alcove. I heard the drunks approaching, so I gave it a shot and hid in there."

Feeling like her nose is dripping, Naruto pauses again to check for blood. Seeing none, she continues.

"I could barely make them out through the water and was relieved to realize they couldn't see me. The alcove was shadowed and if I didn't move they weren't going to. I got bored waiting while they moved off. I looked around and up and that's when I noticed there might be an opening because the shadows got lighter than the rest of the alcove. I climbed up and that's how found this place."

Looking around she smiles fondly. "It didn't take long to figure out how secure it was and I spent the night here. At that point it was the best birthday I ever had and claimed this place as my own. A present to myself."

Recognizing another chance to get her talking, he asks, "Is this where you runaway from the world?"

"No," Naruto frowns. "It's just my private oasis. Who'd want to share such a cool place?"

"If Iruka or anyone else can't find you, you hide here, don't you?" he pushes.

"I'm not hiding anymore than you do at the memorial stone," she snaps.

A tense silence falls between them, neither knowing what to say next. Kakashi's face reveals nothing as he rises to his feet and collects their dirty dishes.

"There are a couple of things I have to do before the storm hits. Stay by the fire and rest," he orders, starting to walk away.

Realizing she has gone too far, Naruto takes a deep breath. "I'm not criticizing your visits to the stone, Kakashi."

Without turning around he stops to listen.

"You don't go to the stone to wallow in the past," she muses, staring into the fire. "You go to regain your equilibrium. That's what I do here. Both serve the same purpose, but for different reasons."

She's not surprised when he walks away.

* * *

When the afternoon shadows lengthened considerably Kakashi returns to the now solitary fire pit. After checking the tent he scans the immediate area with no success. Naruto hadn't left since he spent the past couple of hours chopping more firewood in the vicinity of the clearing entrance. He would've felt her leave.

Wandering, he searches more intensively and finds her where the small waterfall flows out of the mountain. She's perched on a flat boulder, her shoulder leaning against the rock framing the waterfall. Her legs are folded and slightly tucked up underneath her as she dozes in the waning sunlight. Her left hand rests palm up next to her, loosely holding a washcloth.

Mesmerized, Kakashi watches her for several minutes. Reaching out, he almost touches her cheek before dropping it to her shoulder and gently shakes her awake.

Rousing, bleary blue eyes glance around in a daze before focusing on him. Smiling softly, she stifles a yawn.

"Sorry for dozing off."

"You need the rest," he gently chides, easing down to sit next to her. "I wouldn't have woken you except it's getting late and growing colder. It's better if you stay close to the fire."

"Okay," she nods. "I'll move in a bit. I'm too comfortable right now and probably won't get to sit here after the storm hits later tonight."

"It's a nice relaxing spot," he comments, listening to the soothing rush of the waterfall.

Nodding again, Naruto watches the water for a few minutes before breaking the silence.

"I don't come up here as often as I'd like, but I've managed enough times to make it worthwhile."

Falling silent again, she inwardly debates with herself before deciding to broach the topic that sparked their spat earlier.

"I don't come here to runaway from my problems, only to get temporary relief and have space to think."

Without looking, she senses Kakashi's confusion and decides to share more.

"Here I can be myself," she explains, still gazing into the rushing waters. "I don't have to pretend to be happy and harmless. I don't have to worry about upsetting anyone or scaring them because I'm moody. I have the space and solitude to work out my thoughts without keeping my guard up against someone drawing the wrong conclusion and deciding the demon's taking over."

"Your friends don't treat you that way," Kakashi comments.

Looking sidelong at him, Naruto softly snorts, "They're the worst sometimes."

At his confused expression, she sighs in exasperation. "Everyone holds me to a different standard, Kakashi. Even if they bother asking why I'm upset, they're quick to say I'm blowing things out of proportion. As much as I've grown and matured since graduating, no one sees me as anything but a goofy, clumsy baka."

"Iruka doesn't treat you that way," Kakashi points out reasonably.

Naruto agrees, "Yeah, he's always been the exception."

"Why do you hold out on him then?" he arches a brow, pinning her with his gaze.

"Because I dump on him too much," she muses softly, letting her gaze drift back to the water. "He's got his own life to live without my shit piling on top and getting in his way."

"That's not how Iruka sees it."

"No," she nods, meeting his gaze again, "but he tries to fix things that can't be fixed and feels guilty when he can't make things better for me. He deserves better. And since nothing changes, there's no point in constantly bitching about it." Naruto pauses to let her gaze wander around the clearing. "Here I can work through all that shit without having to keep holding it in and bothering anyone else with it. Here I actually feel free."

Kakashi stares at her, struggling to understand.

Glancing over, she notices his expression and rolls her eyes. "C'mon, you don't actually think I'm free in the village, do you?" Blowing out a breath of frustration at his incredulous look she explains, "The rules are different for me because I'm the Jinchuriki. I have to watch what I say and do or someone will jump to the wrong conclusion. I can't go where I want 'cause there are still shops and restaurants I can't set foot in. I can't live where I want either, which is why I lived in the same dump for years before someone finally succeeded in forcing me out."

"You have the income to afford to live anywhere you want to," he points out nonplussed.

"So?" she challenges. "I couldn't even get a unit in your building last year. Hell, I'm surprised the landlord hasn't been giving you shit over me living with you because he told me to never come back again."

"What?" Kakashi asks in shock.

"Ask your dumbass landlord," Naruto huffs irritably. "He'll probably give you a colorful commentary regarding me living with you now. He mutters crap under his breath every time he sees me. Oh, and on top of not being able to do, say or go where I want, I can't even disappear up here for a couple of days when I need to anymore. Unlike the Old Man, Baa-chan panics if I'm missing longer than 24 hours."

"Tsunade isn't that bad," he rolls his eyes.

"Wanna bet?" she arches a brow at him. "Baa-chan won't even allow me to take a vacation anywhere outside the village. The only reason we're even here now is because you're with me, otherwise she would've let me suffer through all the idiot bettors while doing jack shit about it."

Seeing the disbelief in his eye Naruto groans and gently wipes her face with both hands in exasperation.

"Alright, here's an example," she states, dropping her hands, she shifts to lean her back against the rock, crossing her legs to sit lotus style. "When I got back from training with Ero-sennin, Ino thought it'd be fun if all the rookies went on a vacation together. Nothing fancy, just a weekend stay at an onsen in Rice Country. Baa-chan flat out refused to let me go even with the added assurance of having Neji there, who was a jounin by then. We even got Ero-sennin to agree to go. Not that it was hard to convince him," she rolls her eyes, "but anyway, Baa-chan still wouldn't let me go. Said it was too dangerous because of the Akatsuki. She then got Ero-sennin to change his mind and side with her."

Crossing her arms, she sullenly looks off to the side back at the waterfall, quietly stating, "There was no point in bothering to fight for it anymore. So, the others took off for a fun filled weekend and I got to stay and help Shizune with the ever-important task of cleaning up and organizing the Hokage's private library."

Angling her head to look back sidelong at Kakashi Naruto notices his arched brow. "Baa-chan insisted it _**had**_ to be done that weekend," she explains sardonically. "Obviously her not so subtle way to make sure I didn't defy orders and go with the others. Funny, she has no problem with sending me on month long, solo missions into enemy territory, but it's too dangerous for me to take off to an onsen for the weekend. So, in ten years of being a shinobi I've never had a vacation and, by the looks of things, never will."

"Speaking of being a shinobi," the redhead continues, not giving him a chance to reply. "That's something else I didn't have a say in. Yeah, I love being a kunoichi, but I never had a choice. So, after all that, how can you or anyone else say I'm free? Especially when no one else has to keep all this crap in mind?"

She watches the gears spin in her former sensei's head while struggling for an answer.

"Those are questions without answers, y'know," she points out, holding his gaze. "I'm just saying that you can't claim things aren't different for me."

A soft smile graces her lips as her gaze drifts past him to the clearing.

"That's why I'm so selfish about this place. It's even better than going to the hot springs because no one else knows about it, I never have to worry about crowds and don't have to worry about upsetting someone just because I'm there defiling the waters." Her smile turns mischievous as she adds, "As a joke I christened it 'Naruto's Demon Lair' to make fun of all the idiots who still can't see me from the Kyuubi."

Still not meeting his gaze she shrugs, "And none of it's a big deal. I've had this place to think and figure out why things are the way they are. And understanding everyone else's perspective, right or wrong, makes it easier to live this life."

Climbing to her feet Naruto dusts herself off, adding, "I learned from Gaara things could've been a lot worse and I accept the simple truth that the day the Kyuubi was imprisoned is the same day I was too." Grinning at Kakashi, she declares, "I'm hungry. It's probably a good idea to get started on dinner early since the clouds are rolling in."

"Okay," he agrees, climbing to his feet. Knowing this is all he'll get out of her, he decides not to push it.

As they walk back over to the campfire he muses Naruto shared a lot more than he expected.

Instead of dwelling on what she shared, he focuses on making dinner and the final preparations for the storm. He calculates they'll start seeing a change in the weather later tonight, but the actual storm won't hit until early morning. The drop in barometric pressure probably will cause Naruto some discomfort because of her damaged sinuses he wants everything done so he can take care of her.

* * *

The steady afternoon breeze morphs into a strong wind after nightfall, prompting the two jounin to turn in early. Naruto falls asleep immediately once she settles in her bedroll.

Kakashi lies awake for a long time, listening to her soft snores and thinking about what she told him earlier.

His initial urge was to deny her statements. Her stubbornness and strict belief to follow her own nindo, by all appearances, stand in direct contrast. However, once she laid it all out there's no denying the truth and he's been just as complicit in making her hide her true self.

Like everyone else he believed Naruto's life in Konoha as a Jinchuriki was much better than other containers.

And to a certain extent it was true.

However, upon closer inspection the truth is far uglier. He of all people should've realized the truth much sooner because he can appreciate her experiences far better than anyone else.

People often described Sasuke as being similar to him, but Kakashi never really saw much of himself in the Uchiha. True, when he was younger he was just as broody. Both had to contend with living in someone else's shadow for most of their lives and both lost their family.

Kakashi accepted others considered him a genius and knew he was exceptional at a young age, but he never arrogantly dwelled on it or rubbed it in people's faces. He worked hard to prove himself to his comrades and earned every acknowledgement he got.

On the other hand, everyone knew exactly who Sasuke was. Many mistakenly considered him a prodigy like Itachi when his skills didn't come close. He was never without his family crest prominently displayed and ignored anyone he felt was inferior to his station, which included nearly everyone.

The most significant difference between himself and his former student is that he never would've betrayed the village and his comrades for power and vengeance. Like Sasuke, he had plenty of reasons to chose that path, but he never stooped that low.

Sakura was easy to understand and the one he worried about most. She was far too focused on capturing the heart of her Sasuke-kun as opposed to exploring her great potential and improving as a kunoichi. She failed to realize how much danger she was putting herself in by not preparing properly for the field. Instead of being a shining example that exceptional shinobi can be culled from civilians she was more a reason not to train civilians as shinobi.

Fortunately, Sasuke's defection and Naruto's dedication to improving her skills ultimately inspired Sakura to work on improving herself, making her a formidable kunoichi.

Shifting onto his side as the wind batters the tent walls, Kakashi can't help being irritated with himself. Out of all his students, he can relate to and understand Naruto the best because, ironically, she's the most similar to him.

He never worried about Naruto. She understood what it meant to be a shinobi and was eager to learn and improve, devoting herself to becoming as strong as possible. Like him, she struggled to get acknowledged, but without the benefit of being a prodigy.

As a result, both led very solitary childhoods, albeit for very different reasons. By shinobi standards he was far too young and she contained a demon. Yet she's the one who suffered more than the rest of her team combined and all alone.

Staring into the pitch-blackness, Kakashi feels stupid for never realizing how easy, and justified, Naruto would've been in destroying the village. He's always been aware she walked a very fine line between protecting the village and destroying it. He's amazed she managed to keep from crossing that line into darkness and at how loving and caring she's become. No one showed her the compassion she's known for; she'd learned that all on her own.

Shifting again onto his back, Kakashi stares up toward the ceiling. He's ashamed of himself for all the times he was surprised by her insight and ignorantly restricted it to people who were ostracized and isolated like she was. Her empathy is far more flexible than that. Then there were those times where he scolded or criticized her for behavior he let slide in his other students.

He's also angry on her behalf. As the container of a very old and powerful demon it's expected people would fear and shun Naruto for it. It would've been difficult for anyone old enough to remember that night to simply accept such a destructive and terrifying force was securely contained in an infant.

However, it was up to those who understood and believed in the Yondaime to set the example and demonstrate Naruto was still a child like any other.

As their hero, Naruto deserves so much better. Yet, despite all that she still turned out to be a much greater human being than they had any right to expect.

Kakashi isn't sure when he finally fell asleep, but wakes when he hears Naruto moving around. The temperature is significantly colder. The wind outside still rages, but he's sure it hasn't begun snowing yet.

"Are you all right?"

All movement stops. "Sorry for waking you," her voice drifts from the darkness. "I was grabbing a scarf because the cold is bothering me."

Knowing she always had trouble dealing with the cold, and not just because of the hypothermia, Kakashi asks, "Are the blankets keeping you warm enough?"

The sound of wind and rustling canvas fills the pause before she hesitantly admits, "Not really. I'm having trouble warming up."

Reaching out, Kakashi turns on the chakra lamp and gets up. Grabbing her ANBU cloak he moves to drape it around her shoulders.

"Kakashi! I didn't mean for you to get up!" she protests.

Steering her to sit off to the side, he orders, "Stay put."

"You're making a big deal out of nothing! I'll be fine! I just need to readjust my blankets."

Ignoring her protests, he slides her bedroll next to his and overlaps the blankets. He then guides her back over and pulls her down to lie next to him.

"You can't afford to risk becoming hypothermic again," he explains, forcing her head to rest on his chest while tucking the blankets securely around them. "This is a simple, effective, preventative measure."

"You're going overboard," she huffs irritably.

"Shut up and go to sleep," he orders, reaching over to turn off the lamp.

Reluctantly, she adjusts her scarf so the lower part of her face is loosely covered. Finally she relaxes and wraps an arm across his waist before drifting to sleep listening to the soothing rhythm of his heart.

Wrapping his arms around her, Kakashi buries his nose in her scarf wrapped hair and silently vows to start doing a better job of taking care of her.

* * *

The storm blew its course by the time Kakashi wakes the next morning. Glancing down he notes Naruto is still deep in sleep. On missions she's typically a light sleeper, ready to jump into action at moment's notice. However, because of her recent injuries and the fact she knows she's in a secure place she's dead to the world.

He has little difficulty disentangling from her and elevating her head before emerging from the tent into a world of shimmering white. Although the sun was out, judging by the sky they are due for more snow later.

Using a fire jutsu, he clears their campfire pit of snow. The intense flames scorched the ground and the log, but he now can get another fire going.

After breakfast he knocks the snow off the tent and clears the ground surrounding it. Afterward he settles down by the fire to read until Naruto wakes up.

When she emerges from the tent near midday she still has a scarf wrapped around her head, obscuring the lower half of her face and clutches her ANBU cloak tightly around her.

"Morning, Naruto," Kakashi greets, looking up from his cooking.

"Mornin'," she greets back, her voice still thick with sleep. Sitting down against the log she complains, "This is getting ridiculous. I'm getting too used to sleeping late and it's going to be hard getting back on schedule when we go home."

Dishing up a plate he hands it to her before serving himself and settling down next to her.

"It's expected you'd be sleeping late," he finally answers. "In a way, you're on vacation."

Naruto stops eating and stares into the fire, blinking in confusion. Having pulled up his mask again, he watches the realization spread across her face in the form of a pleased smile.

"Yeah, it is kinda like a vacation isn't it?"

"If it weren't for the circumstances that forced us to leave the village, everything about the situation pretty much fits the description of a vacation."

She shrugs as she continues eating. "I'm not greedy. I'll take what I can get and enjoy it for what it is, a chance for a break."

Deciding to change the subject, Kakashi glances up and comments, "Judging the sky, we're in for more snow later."

"Yeah," she agrees, looking up at the sky. "It'll hit earlier than last nights storm, probably after nightfall by the looks of it."

Both fall into a companionable silence as they continue eating.

When they finish, Kakashi gathers their plates, ignoring her glare.

"I don't clean with my nose," she protests waspishly. "At least let me do the dishes."

"No," he replies simply, reaching for the cooking pot.

As he starts to walk toward the stream her voice stops him.

"Hey, Kakashi?"

Thinking she's still insisting on helping, he says over his shoulder, "Be a good girl and stay put."

"I know you won't let me help with your happy little homemaker duties," she snaps, earning a glare over his shoulder. "I just want to know if you brought an extra mask."

Blinking in surprise, Kakashi recovers his wits to ask, "If I say 'no' are you planning on destroying my mask to get a peek at my face?"

Leveling a glare Sasuke would be proud of, she growls, "No. You're full of yourself if you think that's one of my ultimate life goals." Before he can retort, her annoyed voice adds, "I want to know if you have an extra one I borrow? It hurts to breathe the cold air through my nose and I can't seem to adjust my scarf right to stay put."

Eyeing her he says, "I do, but it might be a bit loose for you. They're all a little stretched out from use."

Naruto nods, "Yeah, I figured it might because you've got such a big head."

"The extra room is to fit my big, intelligent brain," he replies easily.

She snorts, "More like to accommodate all the hot, empty air."

Glaring at her, he asks, "Do you want the mask or not?"

Smirking at winning this round of wits she airily declares, "If you don't want to lend it to me, that's fine, I'll survive the discomfort of my healing nose. The same injury that seems to keep me from helping out around the camp."

Arching a brow he mutters, "Brat. I'll get it after cleaning up."

A short while later Kakashi returns and hands her the mask. Grateful, she takes it and removes her scarf before carefully slipping the mask over her head. Adjusting it in place over her nose, she proceeds to rewrap the scarf over her head, only this time she doesn't try to cover any portion of her face.

Having settled next to her against the log, he eyes her over the top of his book.

"Looks like it fits pretty well," he comments while silently thinking it looks pretty good on her too.

"It's a little loose, but not by much," she replies. "Which is good since it's not putting any pressure on my nose. I thought the mask must be uncomfortable, but it hardly feels like I have anything on."

"Is it diminishing the effects of the cold air?"

"Yeah, it's much better. Thanks for loaning it to me."

After several minutes of companionable silence she states, "A mask might've come in really handy when I was younger."

Kakashi looks up from his book in confusion.

Noticing, she gestures at her cloth covered cheeks.

Frowning slightly he replies, "A mask may have hid the whisker marks, but your hair color made you a little distinctive in the village."

"I could've dyed my hair brown for a few years. Maybe the Old Man could've moved me to a new place. I might've had fewer problems."

Kakashi stays silent, not knowing how to respond.

Naruto saves him the trouble by shrugging, "Hindsight is 20/20, so there's no point wishing to change things you can't. I should've thought of it sooner. Besides, even if the Old Man allowed me to do all that, he wouldn't have let me change my name and a lot of people would've still known who I was by name alone." Climbing to her feet she states, "I'm going to see if my spot by the waterfall isn't too icy and maybe sit and enjoy the sunshine for a bit."

Staying silent, Kakashi watches her wander off, recognizing this as one of those times she needs to be alone.

* * *

Later on he checks on Naruto at the waterfall. Sensing his approach, she turns and he can see her smile through the mask as he settles next to her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she assures him as she turns her attention back to the frigid waterfall.

Ice coats most of the rocks framing the opening where the water emerges. Some of the more jagged sections situated close to the waters edge sports intriguing mini ice sculptures of deformed icicles, which glisten in the waning sunlight.

After a few minutes of silence he asks, "Are you ready to talk about Genma?"

She turns to gape at him. "That was blunt."

"Don't you prefer me to just get to the point?" he smiles.

"Yeah," she smirks before turning her attention back to the waterfall.

"Well?" he asks after letting the silence to stretch out again.

"Not going to leave it alone are you?" she sighs in annoyance.

"Nope because I know better. If given the opportunity you won't say anything."

Sighing again in resignation she says, "There's really not much to say. We're done. End of story."

Feeling the weight of his steady gaze Naruto turns to meet it then rolls her eyes. Staring back at the water rushing over the rocks, she takes a deep breath.

"I never expected us to last. I didn't love him and Genma didn't love me. There was an attraction and we gave it a go. Didn't take me long to realize the truth. Like all shinobi he lost too much and believed every person he loves will leave, so he deliberately sets up every relationship to fail to avoid the pain."

Closing her eyes briefly, she adds, "I should've jumped ship as soon as I figured him out, but he was hurting and too used to pushing others away that he had no clue what he was doing to himself. But I didn't go in expecting to save and change him for the better." Rolling her eyes she mutters, "Gee, like any woman ever successfully changed a man before. That's a guaranteed relationship killer."

"Usually is," Kakashi smirks.

Turning to look at him, Naruto smirks back before becoming serious again and shaking her head.

"Changing him wasn't my goal. I just wanted to show him that sometimes it's worth the effort to make a relationship work."

Pausing to adjust into a more comfortable position to face Kakashi better Naruto continues, "Genma actively kills his relationships, but the blame is always on the ex." Pinning Kakashi with her gaze, she surprises him when she points out, "Genma has never once broken up with a girlfriend. They always break up with him. It's partly why I refused to break up with him sooner. 'Sides, I'm not a quitter and I wasn't going to make it easy."

"That's probably why he went for the jugular and cheated," she sighs wearily. "It was the only thing guaranteed to make me break up with him. Well, that and beating on me, but he was smart enough not to attempt that one because I would've killed him the second he curled his fist."

"If you didn't, we would've been fighting with each other to do it," Kakashi mutters.

"You guys would've felt cheated because there'd have been nothing left," she smirks with a malicious gleam in her eye. Her expression softens as she adds, "I'm not surprised he cheated. I gave him more credit than he deserved, thinking he wouldn't disrespect me like that. Despite what anyone else thinks, I already accepted it's over between us, but it's Genma who'll suffer in the long run. It's just hard because it went down in the most humiliating way possible."

Kakashi watches Naruto close her eyes. Reaching out he pulls her into a hug, which she gladly accepts. Not breaking from his embrace, she shifts to rest her head on his shoulder before continuing.

"The worst part is what everyone else's reaction will be. I'm not talking about those who are just pissed at Genma for what he pulled. They're just angry on my behalf because they care. I mean those who're gonna harp on what an ass Genma is before saying, 'I told you so!'"

Naruto pauses to take a deep, slow breath before softly adding, "That's why I got so pissed at Shizune. She made it sound like I deserve being humiliated and getting punched in the nose because, as usual, I'm too stupid to know better."

"She didn't mean to be insulting," Kakashi reasons.

Naruto lifts her head to glare, snapping, "She may not have meant that, but it's hard not being insulted when she said maybe I should've broken up with him sooner. Who the hell is she to judge?"

Releasing a harsh breath she rests her head back on his shoulder, muttering, "I know I'm not the sharpest kunai in the pouch. I try to be savvy and street smart, but I learned a lot of things the hard way by myself. I don't ask anyone anything because usually they'll laugh and call me stupid for not knowing in the first place and then don't bother explaining it anyway. I'm not stupid, but everyone thinks I am. So to 'educate' me, they'll repeatedly point out my mistakes so I don't forget."

She falls silent again for a moment before softly adding, "I stayed with Genma for longer than reasonable, but even if no one else gets my reasons, my friends should respect me enough to accept it and leave things alone. It's hard enough standing in a crowded room with shit on my face, but I don't need them rubbing it in."

Raising her eyes to look at Kakashi, she says, "It's not all my friends. Most respect me now and don't dismiss me as the baka anymore, but there's still a couple who slip back into old habits and that, more than anything, stings the worst."

She sighs again, closing her eyes briefly before opening them again to look at her former sensei. "Thanks for everything, Kakashi. And thanks for listening even though I didn't want to talk about it."

Squeezing her shoulders he chuckles, "It was for your own good. You hold too much in."

"You're one to talk," she snorts.

At his glare Naruto arches a brow, "Don't deny it. You're just as bad 'cause there's no way in hell you're gonna convince me you have a confidant you share all your woes with."

Kakashi sighs, "I don't deny it, but I don't want you to end up like me."

"It's hard to share with others when they don't understand and then you get so used to not sharing that it's hard to find the words when you do find someone to share with."

He stares in stunned shock before looking back out at the waterfall while silently admonishing himself for underestimating her insight because he's not giving her enough credit again.

Glancing up at the sky Kakashi judges the weather will start worsening soon.

"Do you regret telling me about your breakup with Genma?"

"No," she admits honestly after thinking about it. "Yeah, I didn't want to talk about it, but it's nice to have someone else besides Iruka to dump on who didn't try scolding or lecturing me about it. It feels good getting it out of my system."

Kakashi squeezes her shoulders again. "You're welcome to dump on me anytime. Maybe it'd be easier if you split it between Iruka and I."

"Maybe," Naruto reluctantly replies.

Deciding to let it go for now he suggests, "Let's have dinner early because the sky is already changing."

"Okay," she agrees, allowing him to help her up before returning to camp with him.

* * *

As expected, the kicks up fiercely, howling with the promise of more snow. Kakashi bullies Naruto into sleeping next to him again although she doesn't put up much of a fight.

When Naruto wakes up late the following morning she's not surprised to see she's alone in the tent again. Feeling a lot better than she has in days, she rises and gets ready. Although the damn furball still isn't doing anything to aid in the healing of her nose she feels more relaxed and centered than she has in a while.

Emerging from the tent, keen blue eyes lock on Kakashi sitting and reading by the fire. Taking in all the new snow and the fact he hasn't noticed her yet, an idea pops into her head and a devious smirk slowly spreads across her masked face before she disappears.

Out of nowhere a fistful of compacted snow hurtles with frightening speed towards the blissfully ignorant silver-haired jounin from his blind spot. The hidden redhead silently cackles as the projectile strikes home before mentally cursing when he disappears with a soft 'poof.'

Moving swiftly to a new position she stealthily scans the clearing, keeping out of sight. Searching the area on the opposite side the stream and coming up empty she wonders if he hid in the caves just to annoy her when a faint rumbling sound reaches her ears.

Her eyes widen and she leaps across the stream, making a mad dash toward one of the cave entrances. A firm tug on her ankle is her only warning when she suddenly finds herself neck deep in snow and dirt.

An evilly chuckling Kakashi crouches on his haunches in front of her while casually tossing and catching an ominous looking snowball in one hand.

"Shit," he softly curses when the glaring redhead suddenly disperses into smoke.

Spinning to his feet with the snowball ready he finds himself the target of a barrage of incoming snowballs zooming from all directions.

Leaping out of the way he dodges another onslaught as Naruto emerges to pursue him. Two clones close in from different directions. All three fire on the cornered jounin only to simultaneously growl in irritation when he disappears as soon as the snow hits.

Before any of the triplets can make a move they find themselves in the midst of a fierce snow battle with the great Copy Ninja.

He makes quick work of the clones before facing Naruto. Both silently square off for several minutes, waiting for the other to make a move.

The standoff is disrupted by a surprised shriek coming from the direction of the tent. Kakashi looks over there as "Naruto" 'poofs' out of existence.

Most of the snow weighing down the branches forms a deep pile at the base of a now bare tree. Quickly closing the distance he watches a clearly disgruntled and snow covered Naruto slowly emerge from the newly made snowdrift.

Unable to suppress his chuckles, Kakashi grabs her arm and helps her out.

Amusement colors his voice while he dusts Naruto off. "The object of a snowball fight is to cover your opponent in snow, not yourself."

Naruto grumbles, "Yeah, well, that's true unless the trap you're in the middle of setting up is triggered by a ticked off frog summons annoyed at having to deliver a message in cold weather."

"Summons?" he pauses to ask.

Handing over the scroll, she explains, "It's from Baa-chan."

Eyeing the scroll in his hand for a moment he tucks it into a pocket. "I'll make lunch while you change into dry clothes. Give me the mask so I can hang it out to dry. I've got another you can use. Then we'll deal with Tsunade's message."

Already shivering from the cold, Naruto nods before smirking, "This battle is pretty much a draw. Too bad. It was getting really good."

Ruffling her hair Kakashi smiles back. "Not really. I was toying with you before going in for the kill."

Pulling the mask off and handing it to him she says, "Was not."

"Was too."

"Was not," she immediately calls over her shoulder while walking to the tent.

"Was too," his voice promptly drifts back as moves to the fire.

"Was not!" she snaps indignantly before disappearing inside the tent.

Proceeding to make lunch, he grins at the growl emanating from the tent when he calmly repeats, "Was too."

* * *

An hour later after they finish eating Kakashi insists on cleaning up again before opening Tsunade's message.

"The betting pool was effectively squashed," he reveals while his eye scans the note. "So we don't have to worry about any more harassment. Anyone who continues pestering us will be dealt with immediately."

Naruto muses, "Baa-chan probably threatened them with a month long patrol of the cesspools."

Kakashi nods. "She included an encoded message. Sasuke notified her via one of his snake summons that Danzo approached him offering advice and aid. We need to return soon and resume the investigation to maintain appearances as a cover for him." Rolling up the scroll he sighs, "It seems like the pace is starting to pick up."

When he gets no response, he looks over at Naruto who appears lost in thought.

Feeling his gaze, she glances over and smiles. "Sorry for zoning out."

"What are you thinking about?"

"The timing is odd," she admits, chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Granted, Danzo periodically approached Sasuke since his return, but those conversations were random. Like he was feeling the teme out. It's been more than a couple of months since he last approached him, so why now? I can't really explain it, but it doesn't feel right and I'm wondering if he's planning a big move."

Kakashi considers her words before stating, "Nothing stands out to me right now, but we might get more ideas after speaking to Sasuke."

"There's a whole other problem I'm not looking forward to dealing with yet, but there's no avoiding it," she sighs wearily. "Well, at least once we're done with it we can move on."

Kakashi studies her for a few more moments. "Do you feel up to returning today? We don't have to. Tsunade's message didn't imply there was a rush, so we can go back to the village tomorrow if you want."

Naruto thinks about it. "Although I'd love to stay longer, there's really no need for it. I feel a lot better than I have in days and I'm ready to face the world again."

Kakashi nods and rises to his feet to start breaking down camp. Noticing Naruto climbing to her feet he walks back over and places both hands on her shoulders to firmly but gently push her down again.

Glaring she protests, "I felt good enough to engage your sorry ass in a snowball fight! Why won't you let me help break down camp?"

Smiling, he ignores her question and cheerfully states, "My previous threat of hogtying you to the log still stands."

When she growls, he places both hands on his hips while rolling his eye with a sigh, muttering, "Why do you become a workaholic whenever you're injured, but bitch and moan about setting up and breaking down camp any other time?"

Crossing her arms, Naruto sarcastically huffs, "'Cause all those other times you're being lazy and make me do all the work without lifting a finger, saying you're the supervisor, so you're supervising."

Smiling down at her again he reaches out and pats her on the head. "Don't make me add a gag too."

Rolling her eyes she gets up, retorting, "If you're going to be that way I'm going to sit by the waterfall if my spot is ice free."

Kakashi smirks at her retreating back before creating two clones to help him.

A little over an hour later he has everything packed and ready to go. Heading over to the waterfall settles down next to Naruto.

At her questioning look he says, "We're ready to leave anytime."

Nodding her head she then brightens up with a smile and surprises him with a hug.

"Thanks for coming here with me. I didn't want to tell you about it, but it's been really nice sharing it with you." Pulling back slightly her smile turns wistful. "Too bad it's gonna be awhile before I can come back again."

Rubbing her back soothingly Kakashi replies, "We can return in the spring by convincing Tsunade we're both due for an intense training session without interruption. As long as I'm with you, the Old Hag will likely to let you disappear for a few days without question."

Naruto gapes in shock for a moment before a big grin spreads across her face.

"It's a great idea!" Her smile drops as she hesitantly asks, "You don't mind?"

"Of course not," he smiles. "I've never gone on vacation either. Mostly that's because there's never been anywhere I wanted to go," he shrugs indifferently.

"Not to mention you're an incorrigible workaholic," she quips, earning a light cuff on the side of the head.

"I didn't realize it before, but I needed this break too," he admits, gazing around the clearing. "So, if you don't mind sharing, I'll be more than happy to convince the Old Hag to let you out for some breathing room from time to time."

"It's a deal." Glancing up at the sky she adds, "We should probably get going. Looks like more snow is coming later and who knows what the hell else is waiting for us back at the village."

Kakashi nods and helps her to her feet.

Within an hour they slip back into the village just as stealthily as they left and head straight to their apartment. Neither felt the need to see the Hokage and risk drawing attention to the fact they've been gone for three days.

After they finish settling back in, Kakashi summons Pakkun and sends a message to Tsunade notifying her of their return.

When the pug leaves, Naruto comments, "I told Sasuke I wanted to talk to him in a couple of days. Well, it's been a couple of days, so maybe we oughta stop by and pay him a visit tomorrow."

"Sounds like a good idea," he agrees. Scrutinizing her from across the sofa, he suggests, "Maybe you should take a nap before dinner."

Naruto considers it. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Rising to her feet she walks across the living room, saying, "I'll be out to help whether you like it or not."

Kakashi cheerfully states, "The hogtying isn't restricted to logs. It can be applied to any stationary object."

"Now you're being kinky," she pauses in the doorway of the hallway to retort over her shoulder. "We can argue about this when I come back."

As she disappears from sight, Kakashi chuckles as he pulls out 'The art of shattering her world' and stretches out on the sofa to read. Silently he reminds himself again not to torment her too much or she won't lend him this wonderful book again.

* * *

_**A/N**__: Contrary to appearances, I haven't abandoned this story. Nor have I experienced a horrible writer's block. It's simply a case of having the time and inclination._

_Simply put, if my muses aren't cooperating, my chapters turn out incredibly shitty._

_Thank you very much to all my reviewers and readers. I also want to thank those who've put my stories into their communities, who favorited and are following me._

_It's great to know that so many are enjoying this as much as I enjoy writing this story. I do wish I could crank out the chapters more quickly, but I'd rather take the time to do it right than to give you guys crap._

_I will do my best to update a hell of a lot sooner than this chapter came out._

_As always, please feel free to review and let me know what you guys think._


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